



.4- 




•^ Irish 
Historical Allusions 

Curious Customs 

and 

Superstitions 



County of Kerry 

CORKAGUINY ^ 



-:^ --r-. 






by 






Patrick Foley 




19li 




^t 


States 


Published by the Author 



Printed in the United States 

Erin you are stiV Qra-J^o-Chree. 






The Author reserves the rights 
of re-publication and translation 
excepting in the Irish language. 



;; 




©CI.A446715 "^ 

0EC-7I9I6 ' 



To 

My Son 

MICHAEL FOLEY 

This book, the fourth of a 
series designated to present 
all essential historical infor- 
mation on this County is 
Dedicated 
by his 
Affectionate Father, 
The Author. 



PREFACE. 

While these manuscripts were in the hands of 
Messrs. Sealy, Bryer & Walker, Printers, Dublin, 
the late Irish rising took place. During the fight, 
between the British military and the Irish Republican 
forces, a portion of the City of Dublin was destroyed 
by fire and artillery, including the printers' premises, 
together with the author's manuscripts for these books, 
and other works. Fearing the destruction of liners, by 
German submarines, the author held copies of his 
works until landed in Ireland. Believing that there 
they were safe, the copies were neglected and portions 
of them burned and lost. Therefore in the following 
pages the author presents to the reader but the re- 
maining two parts of a book left after the Dublin fire, 
to which is added a brief account of Sinn Feiners and 
the outbreak. 

AUTHOR. 

Dated at Oakland, California, this 3rd day of July, 
1916. 



CONTENTS. 

Page 

Abduction 16 

All Fools' Day .> 76 

Ancient Cross Roads. ..., 76 

Ancient National Dances 78 

Ardnane ..— , , 78 

Bally-Ferriter Evictions - 78 

Banshee , 78 

Barking Disease 18 

Battle of Boyne „ ^ 18 

Battle of Glantarf 19 

Begrudging , 79 

Bellman 79 

Black Death ^ , 19 

Black Famine 20 

Blind Fiddlers and Flute Players 80 

Blood Money 20 

Boats and Canoes Haunted , 80 

Bodach 80 

Bone Fires ,.- 81 

Bone Setters 81 

Boycotting , , , 21 

Brack-an-Tobar 81 ^^ 

Brandon Mountain ., , 81*'^^ 

Brehons 21 

Brendon (St.) Feast 82 X 

Brigid's Day (St.) 21 '^ 

Cat Brack 22 

Catholic Rent 23 

Changlings 82 

Charity Meal 23 • 

Charms — ^ 82 

Cholera Plagiie 24 

Clanna-Gael 24 

Cloghane Pattern Day.... 24 

Cockfighting 25 

Contracts with the Devil...., 83 

Corkaguiny Magistrates Dislike Attorneys _ 25 

Cross-Thursday 83 

Cromwell ; 25 

Crowbar Brigade 26 

Curious Customs — Introduction 69 to 75 inc. 

Death Warning 84 

Doon-an-Ore 26 

Easter Sunday or Sun Dance - , ., 84 

Eastern, Protestant and" Catholic Winds 85 

English Garrison 26 

Enlisting Young Men with a Shilling 26 

Excommunication with Bell, Book and Candle 27 

Faction Fights 27 

Fallen Angels 86 

Fenianism 29, 64 

Forty- Shilling Freeholders , 29 / 

Funeral Bells 1 86 * 

Gates of Glory 87 

Gaudy Ribbon Ci'osses 29 



Page 

Ghosts Cannot Cross Running Water , 87 

Glas-Gruineach , „ 87 

Glenbeigh Evictions 30 

Gospels .>.,... ^ ^ 88 

Great Famine 30 

Halley ' s Comet 30 

Harrington and Esmond's Election 31 

Haunted Houses 88 

Head Act ^ 30 

Headless Coach Stories 88 

History of Ireland — Introduction. ...^ „ 3 to 15 inc. 

Hold out the Hand and Split the Difference 89 

Holy Water Bottles in Canoes 89 

Holy Wells : u. 89 

Home Rule 31 

Horn Dance -.-. , <. • ^ 89 

Horse Shoe Nail Over the Door 89 

House-League , ^ 32 

Hurley 90 

Influenza 32 

Invisible-Blood- Jobbers 33 

I Usga Bagha ■ 90 

Ivy Day 33 

Judges Bringing Bad Weather to Kerry.... 90 

Kennels and Hunting 33 

Kerry Bonds 33 

Kerry Cows Know Sunday 33 

Kerry Election 34 

Kissing the Blarney Stone 34 

Lady Day l ., 91 

Landlords' and their Land Agents' Approval Necessary to Mar- 
riages ., 37 

Land League and Irish National League 37 

Land Purchase Act of George Wyndham's.... 29 

La Varaha na Feir 38 

Leith Broath 38 

Leprachawn 91 

Lycanthropy , 91 

Marriages and Weddings 91 

May Day 92 

Middlemen and the Conacre System 38 

Mistletoe ...^ 92 

Molly McGuires , 39 

Moonlighting , , ^ 42 

Mother Carey's Chickens or Stormy Petrels ^ ,... . 93 

Mug , ., 94 

Mugs 94 

National School Teachers Slapping Children for Speaking Irish.... 42 

Ogham Characters , , 43 

Orangemen 43 

Pagan Wells 95 

Pamellite Splits 43 

Patron Days , 96 

Peelers 45 

Penal Laws , 45 

Penitent Pilgrims of the Cat-Brack 97 

Phoenix Park Murders , „. 46 

Pitch Cap 47 



Page 

Plan of Campaign 47 

Poff and Barrett Hanged 47 

Poor Scholars or Hedge School Teachers 47 

Pope's Brass Band 47 

Primrose League 46 

Public Pilgrimage to Brandon Mountain 48 

Racing at Weddings ^ ^ 97 

Recantations (Public) 48 

Red Coals of Fire Given Out of the House 98 

Rounds 98 

Saints' Birthdays 48 

Sein Fein 49 

Skelligs „ „ 55 

Shea-Hated by the Mermaids.... 98 

Snap Apple Nights 99 

Soupers' Campaign 55 

Spanish Armada 55 

Statute of Kilkenny 56 

Steel-Pen Coats 100 

St. Martin's Eve 100 

St. Patrick and the Snakes 100 

St. Patrick's Day 56 

St. Stephen' s Day 102 

Sunburst of Erin 103 

Tanistry 5« 

Tara u , 56 

Tenants' Defense League 57 

Tenant League 57 

Thierna-Dubh's Raid 58 

Thomas-an-Aehig „ u 61 

Tithes 61 

Tithes Artificial Famine.... 62 

Toothache Cure 103 

Treaty of Limerick , 62 

Turn Coats 62 

United Irishmen 62 

White Boys 63 

Wicker Baskets 63 

Wild Geese 64 

Wreck of ' 'Port-Yorack' ' 64 

Witches 103 



INTRODUCTION. 

ACCORDING to leading Irish liistorians, close 
on three thousand years ago, Ireland was fairly 
well peopled. Of the several tribes that settled 
in the country, the most important colony was the 
Milesians. Dr. Keating, the Irish historian, says that 
race of people landed in Ireland thirteen hundred 
years before the birth of Christ, while McGeoghegan 
put this event down for 1029 B. C, and O'Flaherty, 
one thousand years before the Christian Era. 

At the time of the landing of the Milesians, Ire- 
land was governed by three Dedaanan Kings, viz: 
MacCull, MacKecht and MacGrena, whose Queens 
were Eire, Fodla and Banba. 

The Milesians. — There were many battles fought 
between invading Milesians and the older settlers. 
Probably the first notable battle ever fought in the 
country, was that which took place between the Tu- 
atha-de-Danaans, who possessed Ireland for over two 
hundred years previously, and the invading Milesians. 
This battle is said to have taken place about one 
thousand years before the Christian Era, and was 
brought about by the following circumstances: The 
Milesians, having left Scythia, settled in Spain, where 
they lived for several generations. One of their chiefs, 
named Ith, having on one occasion sailed in the direc- 
tion of Ireland, unexpectedly touched the country, 
where he landed, with the result that he was attacked 
and wounded. Although he was carried away alive 
in his ship, he died on sea, and his remains were con- 
veyed to Spain. To avenge his death the sons of 
Milesius assembled a large force, and headed by their 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



mother, Queen Scota, eight of them with a fleet of 
thirty ships, landed in Ireland. 

Having marched into the country and demanded 
battle or submission, the De-Danaans complained that 
they were taken by surprise and treated unfairly, and 
if the invaders re-embarked and retired from the 
shore, and if the Milesians were then able to effect a 
landing, the country should be given to them. The 
very moment the Milesians were on the high sea, a 
great storm blew, which scattered and wrecked the 
fleet. Four of Queen Scota's sons perished on the 
coast of Kerry. When the storm ceased, Queen Scota 
and her two sons made good a landing in Tralee Bay, 
which in olden times was called "Lough-Foirdream- 
huin," and marched inland to SHeve-Mish. Here 
Queen Scota met a part of the De-Danaan army, led 
by one of the De-Danaan Queens, called Eire, with 
the result that a great battle was fought on the moun- 
tain of Slieve-Mish, in the County of Kerry, in which 
the Milesians were victorious, but the Queen fell. 

After this victory the Milesian army marched 
towards 'Tara, where they defeated and killed the 
three De-Danaan Kings, MacCull, MacKecht and 
MacGrena. The Milesians then took possession of the 
country, which they divided between them^ and gave 
a long line of kings to Ireland, many of whom fell in 
battle and few died a natural death. 

The Milesian kings, princes and chiefs ruled the 
country for over 2,140 years. Roderick O'Connor was 
the last High King of the Milesian race to rule the 
whole of Ireland He reigned in 1168 A. D. The 
largest percentage of the Irish are descendants of the 
Milesians. 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



Christianity was established by St. Patrick, and 
judging by the way he handled the Pagan Irish kings 
and chiefs, he must have been a wise statesman. 

From 432 to 812, Ireland was known throughout 
the world as the "Island of Saints and Scholars." For- 
eigners came from all parts of the Old World for 
education. The ancient language of the country then, 
as now, was Irish. In the Irish wars most of the fine 
Irish arts and buildings were destroyed by foreign in- 
vaders. Probably the "Book of Kells" is the finest 
production of its age in the whole world. 

Latin was the written language of England in the 
12th Century, or thereabouts 

The Danes in Ireland. — About the year 795, Danish 
and Norwegian pirates appeared in ships upon the 
Irish coast. Here and there they sailed into harbors, 
landed, ran into the country, robbed the people, rav- 
aged women, tossed children from lance to lance for 
pleasure, drank the blood of their victims, imitated 
the dogs in their wild ferocity, set houses on fire and 
successfully returned to their ships before their very 
presence in the locality became generally known. Year 
after year they increased in numbers. In the summer 
they came like swarms of flies. They robbed monas- 
teries, tore up fine Irish arts, took ornaments off 
books and killed the monks After some time parties 
of them settled on the seaboard. Their chief towns 
in Kerry were Ballinagaul, Ballylangford and Broad- 
ford. For two hundred and twenty years they held 
their criminal sway of rape, murder and robbery over 
the inhabitants of the seaboard of Ireland. In several 
engagements they were defeated and driven from Ire- 
land by the Irish kings, chiefs and princes. However, 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



in 1074, at the invitation of the Prince or King of 
Hinster, they attempted to conquer Ireland. On Good 
Friday, the 23rd of April, 1074, the Danes and their 
followers were completely defeated in battle at Glan- 
tarf, County Dublin, by the Irish, under Brien Borue, 
King of Munster. This day the Danish power in the 
whole of Europe was broken down, and their piratical 
expeditions ended. The same day Brien Borue fell 
while praying in his tent. 

English Invasion. — Fighting between petty Irish 
chieftains became common. Following the example 
set by the Danes, the rule of might, not right, was very 
much practiced. Just as the people were settling down 
in peace, the Prince of Linster induced the wife of 
another Irish prince or governor to elope with him. 
Ireland was now divided. There were circumstances 
in the case which in the opinion of many did not 
justify the marriage of the Princess to O'Rourke. The 
High King of Ireland and the Irish could not stand 
the disgrace of such an act to occur on Irish soil, and 
consequently declared war on the Prince of Linster. 
The Prince of Linster appealed to King Henry II of 
England for aid. The kings, princes and people of 
Ireland stood for virtue, while the English king and 
his barons under the color and pretense of restoring 
virtue to Ireland, stood for a licentious old man and 
introduced rape, plunder and murder into the country. 

In 1170, Richard Clare, commonly called the Earl 
of Strongbow, on behalf of the King of England, 
landed in Ireland. In 1171 the King of England in 
person visited Ireland. He produced the Pope's Bull, 
showing that he had authority from Rome to establish 
virtue, settle and possess Ireland. The majority of 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



the Irish chieftains refused to recognize the King of 
England, no matter from whom he pretended to 
possess the authority. 

These are the circumstances which brought about 
the first Norman EngHsh raids on the peaceful valleys 
of Ireland, Little by little the English succeeded in 
establishing a foothold on Irish soil. It took the Eng- 
lish over four hundred years to completely conquer 
the whole island After some time the English in Ire- 
land became more Irish than the Irish themselves, but 
they had to get the "fat" of the land; they even ap- 
pointed their own clergy, although both at the time 
were Roman Catholics. 

The Protestant Reformation. — The most of the dis- 
tricts in Ireland were governed by their own inde- 
pendent native chieftains, although they were sup- 
posed to be under English rule. When the Protest- 
ant reformation burst forth, King Henry VIII of 
England hunted Luther and other Protestant reform- 
ers out of England. The Pope conferred upon him 
the title of "King Defender of the Faith." 

This King Henry married his deceased brother's 
wife before the marriage of the latter was fully con- 
summated. It is a settled doctrine of the Catholic 
Church that when both parties to a marriage enter into 
it of their own free will and accord, and that no moral 
objection is standing in the way of the ceremony, 
upon the consummation of marriage no priest nor 
power on earth can divorce and religiously remarry 
any of the parties while they both live.* Henry VIII 
knew this. After being for twenty years married, he 

*A marriage ceremony does not in itself wholly complete a marriage 
in the Catholic Church. (See the Catholic Encyclopedia.) 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



pretended to feel frightfully uneasy because "it was 
wrong for him to marry his brother's wife" after the 
brother's death. He applied for a divorce to the Pope, 
and the Pope refused to grant him a divorce. He at 
once established his own ecclesiastical courts, declared 
himself head of the Church, and his courts at once 
granted him a divorce from his lawful wife. Imme- 
diately he married one Anne Boleyn, whom he di- 
vorced and killed for another wife. In all he had six 
wives, one of whom he caused to be ripped open on 
child's birth. He seized and confiscated the churches, 
chapels and all religious houses in England and con- 
verted them to his own use. Of course these acts 
were resisted with bloodshed. 

The foundation on which the Protestant Reforma- 
tion was founded in England, was born in lust, mur- 
der and plunder. The British sovereign declared 
himself supreme head of the Church on earth, and 
substituted the parson for the priest. Henry VIII 
attempted to introduce his new-made religion into Ire- 
land. This religion was not Catholic nor was it Pro- 
testant. Ireland rejected it and Henry VIII was not 
able to enforce his orders there. 

In the year 1553, Edward VI died, and Queen Mary, 
daughter of Henry and of Catherine of Aragon, be- 
came Queen of England. This Queen was a staunch 
Roman Catholic. Maddened at the ill-treatment of 
her mother at the hands of Henry VIII, his ministers, 
the ecclesiastical courts and reformers, she restored 
the Catholic religion, recovered Catholic churches, 
monasteries and like property, and tortured and burned 
Protestant leaders, especially those who refused to 
deliver up the property. By Protestant historians she 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



is styled "Bloody Mary." As Ireland was always 
Catholic, her reign there did not cause much disturb- 
ance. 

Queen Blizaheth. — After her came Queen Elizabeth, 
called the ''Virgin Queen" by Protestants, because she 
never married. However, she was the reverse of a 
virgin. She declared herself a Catholic, but when the 
Pope was notified that she ascended the throne by 
hereditary rights and the will of the people, it ap- 
pears he made use of some language to the effect that 
he did not see how she could claim the Crown of Eng- 
land by hereditary rights, as she was the daughter of 
Henry VHI with Anne Boleyn while his first wife 
was alive. Queen Elizabeth, fearing the influence of 
Rome might deprive her of the crown, at once de- 
clared herself a Protestant. 

During her long reign, Catholic Ireland became her 
greatest slaughter field. Although in the Protestant 
Bible she is said to be the "bright occidental star," "of 
most happy memory," the truth is that she did not 
care much for any religion, but used Protestantism as 
the most favorable one to gain her ends. Bad as 
"Bloody Mary" was, her reign was a mild one when 
compared with "virgin" Elizabeth. England became 
worse in those days than Mexico of today. The in- 
struments of torture in the Tower of London bear 
silent evidence of many dark crimes. 

Charles I Beheaded. — ^After this hateful Queen 
dying, James I, son of Mary, Queen of the Scots, came 
upon the throne. He was followed by King Charles I, 
whom over a question of a little tax, Cromwell be- 
headed and established the Commonwealth. Crom- 
well did not confine his butchery to England; he 



HISTORY OP IRELAND 



landed in Ireland, took Drogheda, killed women and 
children and put the priests to the sword ; he caused 
both the real and personal estate of the people to be 
seized ' and had the lands parcelled up amongst his 
officers or "gamesters." These, together with some 
of Queen Elizabeth's followers, became Irish land- 
lords and tyrants of the worst kind. The people who 
reclaimed, tilled, improved and erected buildings on 
those lands, could not understand how a foreigner who 
never tilled or improved one inch of land could claim 
ownership of everything which the farmer raised. For 
two hundred and fifty years, war has gone on be- 
tween the landlords and the tillers of the soil. Today 
the descendants of ancient occupiers of the holdings 
are repossessing same and Cromwell landlords are 
disappearing. 

Cromwell. — When Cromwell died, England did not 
become a Republic, and again a king in the person of 
Charles II ascended the throne. 

King James II and the Battle of the Boyne. — The 
next most important event in Irish history is the Bat- 
tle of the Boyne — the disgraceful boast of some Eng- 
lishmen — fought in Ireland between King James II of 
England, a Catholic, of the Stuart family, and his 
son-in-law, William of Orange from Holland. In 
America this war is called a religious war, fought 
between Catholics and Protestants. It is true that 
because this king declared himself openly a Roman 
Catholic, Protestants in wrongful occupation of Cath- 
olic property became intensely alarmed for their 
future, and invited William, Prince of Orange, to in- 
vade England. 

10 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



King James was one of the greatest cowards that 
ever Hved. With his EngHsh troops he lost almost 
every engagement in England. He then fell back on 
Ireland. William, Prince of Orange, on landing in 
Carrick-a-fergus, Ireland, on the 14th day of June, 
1690, found himself at the head of about 40,000 men. 
The Irish had no love for any British king. However, 
priests and Catholic leaders influenced the Irish to 
come to aid King James, on the pretense that his own 
daughter and her Protestant husband, a foreigner, 
were depriving this old man of his kingdom because 
he was a Catholic. The Irish, blinded with sympathy, 
entered the fight. On the 1st of July, 1690, the Battle 
of the Boyne was fought. William in person led his 
own army while King James stood at a distance, ready 
to mount his horse and ride away if the battle should 
be favorable to the Prince of Orange. The Irish 
fought bravely for over half the day, but as they be- 
gan to retreat in good order, the English King 
mounted his horse and rode away into Dublin, leaving 
the Irish fighting behind him. He was designated 
"Dirty James" by the Irish. 

The Irish, although deserted by the King and others, 
continued the fight for over one year from the River 
Boyne to the walls of Limerick and Athlone. On the 
3rd of October, 1691, the generals of both armies 
signed the famous treaty of Limerick. According to 
the articles signed, full religious liberties were granted 
to the Roman Catholics, but no sooner did the Irish 
soldiers sail away to France, than England wilfully 
and wickedly broke the treaty. England has never 
yet kept a treaty with the Irish, if it stood in the way 
of plunder or gain. 

11 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



Treaty of Limerick Broken. — In 1692, contrary to 
the articles of the treaty of Limerick, the Catholics 
were excluded from the Irish Parliament. Education 
of a Catholic child, shortly afterwards, was declared 
to be a serious crime. Catholics were required to take 
an oath declaring the mass damnable. No Catholic 
could learn a trade. 

In 1701, contrary to the treaty of Limerick, Catholic 
solicitors were disqualified. Priests found in Ireland 
were branded with redhot irons on the cheeks. The 
law made it death to shelter, and penal servitude to 
know where a priest was concealed and not to inform 
the government. Priests were dragged from the 
altars, branded, disemboweled, quartered, hanged and 
transported. A Catholic could not have a horse worth 
more than five pounds (twenty-five dollars). Any 
Protestant tendering a Roman Catholic five pounds 
for his horse, the horse would have to go. 

Flight of Wild Geese. — The young Irishmen of that 
period rushed to France and were called "Wild Geese." 
Catholics could not send their children to be educated 
at home or abroad, and Catholic doctors were not 
allowed 

The Irish Brigade at Pontenoy, France. — At Fonte- 
noy, France, on Tuesday, the 11th of May, 1745, the 
Irish Brigade in battle swept before them the British 
and their flag. The war cry was "Revenge 1 Remem- 
ber Limerick ! ! Dash down the Sassenach ! ! !" From 
that day onward Irish priests and Irish Catholics 
could move about without the danger of being hanged 
or transported. At Fontenoy the Irish exiles made the 
British ministry conscious of the harsh and unjust 
manner in which they had treated the Irish Catholics, 

12 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



and gradually the penal laws were forced to dis- 
appear. 

American Revolution. — In 1775, Irishmen were 
found very active in the cause of the American Revo- 
lution. Shortly after, England granted Ireland an 
independent Parliament. This Parliament is known 
as "Grattan's Parliament." The progress of Ireland 
under her own Parliament surprised the world and 
immediately England set about for its destruction. In 
1801, Ireland was again a bleeding nation — her Par- 
liament was gone. Although an Irish Catholic could 
not sit in Irish Parliament, yet the people expected 
Catholic emancipation from it much sooner than from 
the British Parliament. 

Tithes and Orangemen. — During all this time Ro- 
man Catholics resisted the payment of tithes to the 
parson. The parson was a minister of the Protestant 
church, who was substituted for the priest and never 
ministered to a Roman Catholic. Catholics were com- 
pelled by law to give one-tenth of their crops to the 
support of the Protestant Church without receiving 
anything in return but insult and injury. Then came 
the landlord, giving nothing but claiming everything 
to the body and souls of the tenants. Up until the 
land agitation the buildings and all improvements 
made or erected by the tenant became the property of 
the landlord. In order to keep Ireland divided, the 
wealth and power of the Unionist (capitalist) class 
from England to New Zealand is still lavished on a 
body of foreigners in the North of Ireland, called 
"Orangemen." 

Orangemen. — It must be remembered that it is not 
the Orangemen alone the Irish have to contend with 

13 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



in their fight for Home Rule, but the whole power and 
wealth of the Unionist Party in England, Scotland, 
Ireland, India, Africa, Australia, New Zealand and 
Canada. The English under the color and pretense of 
peacemakers and Christians are always doing the 
utmost in their power to sow the seeds of discord and 
dissension amongst the Irish people. One of the 
sharpest wedges they can drive to divide the people 
is religion. If the English Unionists believed that by 
granting Home Rule they could set Irishmen fighting, 
a full measure would be granted in eight hours. 

Irish Patriots. — Amongst the Irish patriots the fol- 
lowing Protestants took a leading part for Irish free- 
dom, namely, Charles Stewart Parnell, Sir Isaac 
Butt, Henry Grattan and Robert Emmett. Their 
names, with many others, Ireland will hold in grateful 
remembrance. 

Every blade of grass that grows on Irish soil is 
consecrated by the blood of Irishmen, women and 
children, shed in the cause of freedom. England, 
in her efforts to destroy the Irish language, the Cath- 
olic religion and the nationality of the country, tried 
the rack, gibbet, pitch-cap, quartering, coercion, fam- 
ines, bribery and every barbarous and refined form of 
cruelty, without success. The war between Sax and 
Celt will rage hot and fierce until the last vestige of 
English misrule is swept from the green hills of Erin. 

Taxation and Refunds. — By the Unionist Parlia- 
ment, whiskey was taxed much heavier than beer. 
Few Irishmen drink beer, but many of them drink 
whiskey, while nearly every man and woman in Eng- 
land likes to have beer. After a careful study of Irish 
customs, every taxable article desired by the Irish was 

14 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



especially aimed at. To make the tax appear just, 
the sum for the same quantity was raised alike all 
over the United Kingdom. By such plans and others 
of the like, Ireland was robbed of over $28,000,000 a 
year, outside of her proper proportion, not to mention 
the millions the landlords or other office pets took out 
of the country. Money raised in Ireland went into the 
British treasury. Recently the England Parliament 
would make a grant of a few million pounds to Ire- 
land for some purpose, the largest portion of which 
would go to some English pets holding offices of some 
kind in Ireland. Then a cry would be raised of "mil- 
lions of English money granted by a generous govern- 
ment to Ireland." The truth is that in such grants 
the Irish people only received back a small portion of 
their own money. 

Author s Most Earnest Desire Is to See Ireland 
Free. — The author's most earnest desire is to see the 
morning dawn when Protestant and Catholic in Ire- 
land would be linked together in one bond of peace, 
enjoying the blessings of good laws made by a free 
people in an Irish Independent Parliament. He is op- 
posed to a class or creed ascendency, the adoring of 
human false gods, or the keeping of the whole island 
in slavery by a few non-productive, pampered game- 
sters. 

GOD SAVE IRELAND ! 

P. M. FOLEY, Author. 



15 



HISTORY OP IRELAND 



Abduction. — Forceable abduction for a time was 
common enough in those parts. The most common 
source from which those abductions sprung was a 
man, after courting a girl for some time and finding 
her for him inclined, but the parents refusing to con- 
sent to their marriage, would come, accompanied by 
a dozen or more persons with saddle horses, drag the 
girl screaming out of bed, place her on horseback, 
gallop off to his hiding place — sometimes to his own 
house, but at other times to a friend's house — and there 
keep her until married. 

When it happened that a Catholic boy and a Prot- 
estant girl were in deep love with each other, and the 
feminine members of the Protestant family would wish 
for their marriage, but after sounding the feelings of 
the girl's father and finding that he was steadfastly 
opposed to allow a Roman Catholic to be connected 
with his family, the hint would be thrown out to the 
boy that the only way he could possess his sweetheart 
now was by kidnaping. A hint so broadly given was 
quickly acted on. In a short time abuses set in, and 
instead of honest courtship, persons made for girls 
inheriting large fortunes. 

Next came our "Squireens," or country gentlemen. 
These were made up chiefly of that class of landlords 
called middlemen, and persons holding some petty 
offices. The majority of them were corrupt, low and 
immoral, but still had the presumption to insist that 
others look up towards them as gentlemen. For cock- 
fighting, fox-hunting, or race-meeting, they would 
dress themselves up in great brilliancy and make such 
a display that they appeared just as remarkable as the 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



rancheros or caballeros of Old Mexico, whom, I un- 
derstand, are their nearest comparison, and would have 
been their fittest companions. 

A young man of that class, having his proposal of 
marriage with a young lady of fortune rejected, would 
become an abductor, and with the aid of firearms and 
a faction would carry her off and force a marriage 
upon her. To remove the reputation of a scandal, the 
clergy of both churches willingly performed the mar- 
riage ceremony, and often without any fee from the 
parties at the time. The strangest part of the trans- 
action was that both Protestant and Catholic churches 
allowed forced marriages to stand as valid. Once the 
example was set by those high-class parish gentlemen 
it was adopted by their understrappers and, like a 
contagious disease, it reached the common people, with 
the result that in the seventeenth century abductions 
of pretty girls with fortunes and good names became 
for a time numerous. 

Bally-Perriter Evictions. — These were evictions 
which the Sheriff of Kerry was never able to carry out. 
On portions of the estates of the Earl of Cork, near 
Bally-Ferriter, several tenants were to be ejected. On 
the 16th of February, 1887, the Sheriff with a staff of 
Bailiffs, protected by a large force of police armed 
with rifles, bayonets, revolvers and battons, under the 
command of District Inspector Gray, started from 
Dingle, towards Bally-Ferriter. Upon reaching a 
place called Shannacnock, two thousand people as- 
sembled. They were armed with pitchforks, scythes 
and sticks. They forced the Sheriff, his assistants 
and escort hastily to return to Dingle Several at- 

17 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



tempts to carry out these evictions failed. A settle- 
ment was arrived at through the Rev. Father Egan, 
P. P., of Bally-Ferriter, whereby the evictions were 
abandoned. 

(See P. 281, History Co. Kerry-Corkaguiny.) 

Barking Disease prevailed about the year 1341. It 
appears persons of both sex went about the country 
barking like dogs. This disease was pretty bad and 
visited those parts. 

Battle of the Boyne. — ^This battle was fought on the 
1st of July, 1690, at the River Boyne, in Ireland, be- 
tween the soldiers of King James, the lawful King of 
England, and his son-in-law, William, Prince of Or- 
ange, a foreigner from Holland. 

Protestants of England, who held Catholic confis- 
cated lands, feared King James, and invited William 
into England. In England, James offered very poor 
resistance; in Ireland it was different. Although the 
Irish had never much love for any English King, yet 
the leaders and clergy worked upon the sympathies 
of the people by pointing out the wrong of the King's 
Protestant daughter to be depriving her father of his 
lawful throne, his home and countr}^ Blinded by 
sympathy, the Irish were induced to fight. By his 
own fault James had but six guns, while William had 
fifty William's army was only 25,000 men against 
50,000 in James' army. 

The Irish fought well, but several times showed 
signs of yielding in the afternoon. King James 

*The anniversaries of the Battles of the Boyue and Aughrim are 
celebrated on the 1st and 12th of July In Belfast, by Orangemen wreck- 
ing Catholic churches and assaulting women and old people, 

18 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



mounted his horse and deserted his Irish troops. The 
Irish nicknamed him ''Dirty James." 

This battle was lost but the Irish continued the fight, 
although the King was off for France. 

On the 12th of July, 1691, another decisive battle 
was fought at Aughrim, in which the soldiers of. the 
Prince of Orange were victorious. However, the fight 
was continued in Limerick and Atholone. On the 
24th of September, a truce of four days was agreed 
upon. The 3rd of October, 1691, the Generals of the 
English and Irish armies signed the famous Treaty 
of Limerick. The Irish soldiers sailed away to France. 
In 1692 the English broke the treaty. 

Battle of Glantarf. — On Good Friday, the 23rd of 
April, the final battle was fought between the Danes 
and Brien Borue* at Glantarf, Dublin. Before the 
battle started Brien Borue rode on his horse amongst 
his troops ; holding a crucifix in his hand he addressed 
his army. This was a hand-to-hand fight. From the 
time the tide was high-water until a long time after 
it was low-water the result was doubtful. Before 
evening the Danes gave way all around. Victory 
crowned Brien and his Munster men. The losses 
were : Irish, over 4,000, and Danes, over 7,000 

However, Brien Borue was assassinated while pray- 
ing in his tent. 

This battle released the whole of Europe from the 
Danish power. 

Black Death. — This dangerous contagious disease- 
made its way into Ireland about the year 1348. It was 

*Brieu-Borue: Borue was only a nickname given to Brien. His 
father's name was Kennedy. Brien Borue and his father were of the 
family of Cormac. 

19 



HISTORY OP IRELAND 



SO dangerous that any person who touched the sick 
or even looked for a few seconds into his face was 
immediately affected and died. It swept the English 
out of Ireland. According to the English accounts, 
it touched but few of the native Irish. 

Black Famine. — This was called to the famine years 
of 1845, 1846 and 1847. During these years for the 
want of food people died by thousands from hunger. 
From November, 1846, until the end of the spring of 
1847, people were falling dead like Autumn leaves in 
a storm, by the roadside, in their cabins, and in the 
fields. For burial their corpses were conveyed to the 
graveyard in sheets and buried without coffins. Dogs 
in search of food tore into the tombs and preyed upon 
the emaciated corpses of the famine victims. 

This famine was caused by a failure of the potato 
crop, on which the common people lived for susten- 
ance. The blackest feature of this famine was that 
the Irish branch of the Church of England availed 
of it to seduce the starving people into Protestantism 
with soup and bibles, and that these years there was 
enough corn shipped out of Ireland to maintain the 
class ascendency in luxury, that would feed as many 
as died through hunger. 

(See P. 212-232, Hist Co. Kerry.) 

Blood Money. — This is money paid by the govern- 
ment to spies, informers and crown witnesses, to in- 
duce them to swear against persons charged with 
murder, or serious crime. It was much used during 
the Irish agitation. By the Crimes (Coercion) Act of 
1882, it was proposed to levy a "Blood Tax" for mur- 
der on the innocent rate-payers. 

20 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



At present, compensation to police injured in cer- 
tain cases in the execution of their duties and mah- 
cious injury to property is charged against the rate- 
payers. 

Boycotting. — This word was derived from Captain 
Boycott, a land agent who was boycotted. Today 
it is to be found in every dictionary in the English 
language. Its use and effect in our district is fully 
set forth by me in my "His. Co. Kerry" — Corkaguiny, 
and also under The Reading of Chronology. 

Brehons. — Were the names given to ancient Irish 
judges, who administered the Irish ancient laws with 
strict justice and impartiality. In 1365 or there- 
abouts, the English by the Statute of Kilkenny, for- 
bade the English subjects to obey it. However, for 
its justice it was respected and obeyed until after 
Cromwell's wars in Ireland. 

Brigid's (Saint) Day.. — This falls on the 1st of 
February of each year, and formerly was observed as 
a holy day in honor of the death of St. Brigid, she 
being the founder of the famous nunnery of Kildare 
and the patroness of Ireland. In those parts a pretty 
ancient custom of carrying a Brideoge on St. Brigid's 
Day, and receiving gifts in her name, still survives, 
although in a dying form. In country homes eggs 
were usually given to those accompanying or carrying 
Brideoge. However, if any of those receiving these 
gifts were seen drinking intoxicating liquors with the 
proceeds of St. Brigid's Day, it would be made suffi- 
ciently clear to some member of the party that there- 
after their visits were undesirable, and the next time 
they came around they were to go empty-handed. 

St. Brigid was born about the year 452 at a place 

21 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



called Foghert, near Dundalk. She founded her con- 
vent under or near an oak tree, from which the town 
and county of Kildare took their present name. 

She was the mother and foundress of many others 
and was known as the "Wonderful Worker" through- 
out Ireland. On the 1st of February, 525, she died 
and was buried at Kildare. Her nuns honored her 
memory so much that they kept a fire continually 
burning both day and night which was not extin- 
guished until 1220, when the Archbishop of Dublin 
ordered it to be put out, as it was fast becoming the 
object of superstition. 

Owing to the Scandinavian raids upon Ireland, in 
which they tore down churches and monasteries, her 
body was taken from Kildare and transferred to Down 
Patrick. In 1185 a triple vault was discovered con- 
taining the bodies of St. Patrick, St. Brigid and St. 
Columba. On the 9th of June, 1186, or thereabouts, 
the Pope caused the relics of these three great saints 
to be placed in the Cathedral of Down. This cathedral 
with its contents was destroyed by order of King 
Henry VIII. of England, but pieces of the relics, 
including the head of St. Brigid, were saved by some 
clergy. The head was carried to Neustadt, in Aus- 
tria. In 1587, Emperor Rudolf gave it to the Church 
of the Jesuits at Lisbon. According to the Catholic 
Encyclopedia, her hand is preserved at Lumiar, near 
Lisbon, Portugal, and another relic is at St. Martin's, 
Cologne. 

Cat Brack. — This was the name given to printed 
matter found in Irish primers supplied by the Irish 
Protestant Society to Irish-speaking Roman Catholics 
in those parts, because the former, under the color and 

22 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



pretense of preserving the Irish language, both oral 
and written, instead taught the Protestant version of 
the Scriptures and thereby attempted to overthrow the 
Roman Catholic religion. This campaign started out 
very active in 1836 and lingered on to the last days 
of the last century. While the scholars were learning 
both teachers and pupils were in receipt of pay. Some 
teachers made it a practice to enter the names of 
Roman Catholics on their roll books who were not 
students, but as a friendly neighbor would accommo- 
date the teacher so as to enable him to get his fees. 

Catholic Rent. — This was a tax levied in 1823 upon 
Catholics by Daniel O'Connel's Catholic Association 
to support the fight for emancipation. 

Charity Meal. — At the end of 1879, a famine threat- 
ened Ireland. The British Government at first re- 
fused to take any steps to prevent death from hunger. 
The Land League, which was founded by the later 
Michael Davitt, in April, 1879, by Parnell, was tem- 
porarily converted into a relief organization. In 
America, Parnell and John Dillion collected $250,000 
for the relief of distress.* The Duchess of Marl- 
borough also appealed for help. In January and Feb- 
ruary, large contributions arrived from Canada, Aus- 
tralia, India, and the United States. The funds were 
distributed amongst the clergy of the poorer parishes, 
who issued tickets to traders to supply poor people 
with Indian meal. 



*In America, Paruell was offered twenty-five dollars, five thereof to 
buy bread and twenty to buy lead, i. e., for the Land League. It was 
accepted. 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



Cholera Plague. — On the 14th of March of 1831 
this great plague made its first appearance in Belfast, 
Ireland. It visited our part of the country shortly 
after. When it was first discovered in the town, the 
inhabitants fled to the country. It was nearly as fatal 
as the Black Death. It also followed the famine years 
of Black Death 

Clanna-Gael. — Clanna-Gael is an Irish society 
formed in America in 1881, or thereabouts. It was 
made up of most loyal members of the old Fenians, 
who hated to their dying day British rule in Ireland, 
and at the first opportunity available are determined 
to overthrow British power in Ireland. 

Cloghane Pattern Day. — This pattern is held on the 
last Sunday of July in each year. The old people of 
the parish believe that it originated in honor of a pagan 
chieftain called Crom Duff, signifying Crom of the 
Heap of Stones, one of the deities of the Irish Druids. 
The last Sunday in Summer is called Black Crom, 
being held sacred to St. Patrick as the anniversary 
of commemorating the destruction of this class of 
idols as well as others of a hke nature. 

Cromleacs, composed of huge stones, the selection 
of ancient Druids, are to be found in the Parish of 
Ballyduff, and other like evidence in the neighborhood 
which go to show that the district was the scene of 
ancient ceremonies. Tradition gives credit to a pagan 
chieftain for building the old church, the remains of 
which stand at the east end of the dismantled Protest- 
ant church in Cloghane burial ground. However, the 
present structure was not erected for many centuries 
after paganism was overthrown. It is probable that 

24 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



the first Christian building in Cloghane was erected 
by a pagan chieftain, the follower of the Crora Duff 
form of worship. After mass, dancing and other like 
innocent amusements are carried on here. Excessive 
drinking and rowdyism, I am very glad to note, is 
very very much on the decline ; in fact, is gone out 
of existence there. 

Cock fighting., — These games were common in those 
parts until suppressed by law. 

Corkaguiny Magistrates Disliked Attorneys and De- 
cided Cases According to Dingle Justice. — From 1720 
downward to 1822 the Corkaguiny justices of the 
peace would not allow any attorney-at-law to plead 
before them, but instead of deciding cases according 
to law settled them in conformity with "Dingle jus- 
tice." Whenever an attorney was brought at high 
expense from Tralee to appear before them, the cases 
in which he was engaged were adjourned from court 
to court and his client in the end defeated. 

Lady Chattam in her visit to Dingle noticed that 
cases were not decided in keeping with "the law," but 
according "to justice." She did not know that the 
houses of the Dingle magistrates were filled with 
smuggled goods, and that they reaped a rich harvest 
from several just but illegal trades. Therefore they 
sat more often for the protection of the smugglers 
than the enforcement of the law. (See "His. Co. 
Kerry" — Corkaguiny. ) 

Cromwell. — Oliver Cromwell rebelled against King 
Charles I, beheaded the latter, and set up a Republic. 
In 1649, Cromwell landed in Dublin, took Drogheda, 

25 



HISTORY OP IRELAND 



and put the priests and women to sword. Pierce Fer- 
riter held Kerry against the EngHsh for ten years. 
Ferriter was the last Catholic chieftain to hold out 
against Cromwell's forces. In direct violation of the 
English pledges, Ferriter was hanged at Killarney in 
1653, together with Father T. Moriarty. 

Crowbar Brigade. — This was applied to the Sheriff 
and landlords' bailiffs because, armed with crowbars 
and protected by police, they forced an entry into the 
houses of those to be ejected and demoHshed the 
homes of the evicted tenants. They also often car- 
ried a battering ram, i. e, timber bound with irons, 
hoist on poles, and swung against the sides of the 
buildings. 

Doon-an-Ore and Olean-an-Ore. — These were the 
names given by the country people hereabouts to a 
rock in Smerwick Harbour on seeing it covered with 
brass cannon, the flags of Spain and the Pope's con- 
secrated banner sparkling in the sun. Foreigners also 
had the reputation of bringing a large quantity of gold 
with them. (See "Hist. Co. Kerry" — Corkaguiny.) 

English Garrison. — The Irish landlords are so called 
by public speakers because as Cromwell's soldiers they 
possessed themselves of all the Irish lands, and since 
then the British Government by military force has 
maintained them in this country, where they became 
a crushing burden on the people. 

Enlisting Young Men by Slipping a Shilling Into 
Their Hands. — The custom of recruiting sergeants 
going around the country and slipping a shilling in 
the Queen's name into a young man's hand, then 
forcing him into the army, has been stopped. In 
Dingle peninsula the recruiting sergeant very often 

26 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



secured crippled tailors of good appearance, who on 
purpose would sit in the darkest room in a public 
house likely to be visited by the sergeant, keeping 
their feet under a drinking table and their crutches 
hidden, with a half-gallon of porter before them. 
The recruiting sergeant, looking into the faces of 
fine, strong-looking, muscular men, would force a drink 
upon them and ask them to enlist. At first they 
would take the drink, but would pretend to be hesi- 
tating very much about taking the shilling which the 
recruiting sergeant would have spinning on the table 
before them. After a good deal of sham pretentions 
of being unable to fight and unwilling to do so, each 
of them would slowly accept the shilling, spend it at 
once, swallow the free drinks and eat Queen^s dinner 
and, when fed like game cocks, would ask one of their 
companions to look for their crutches for them so 
they could accompany the sergeant and enlist in the 
army. When the sergeant would discover his mistake 
the trouble started to get back the shilling, but as they 
made it a point not to have more than one penny in 
their possession he was compelled to leave without 
recruits or money. 

Bx communication zvith Bell, Book and Candle. — 
During the Souper Campaign persons were excom- 
municated in Dingle, Ventry and Castle Gregory 
Chapels. After the priest had read the sentence, the 
bell was rung, the book closed and the candles 
extinguished. That moment the person excommuni- 
cated was excluded from the sacraments. 

Paction Fights. — The fairs of Ballinclare were 
noted for their faction fights. The way these fights 
usually were started was a hero follower of the Fitz- 

27 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



geralds, primed with drink, would prance through the 
fair, waving his blackthorn cudgel and at the same 
time shouting for a Moriarity. Of course, he would 
not go very long until he would be met by a gang 
of the followers of the Moriarity's. Then a fight was 
started in which whole parishes became involved. They 
fought each other without any individual ill-will, using 
stumps of furze, sticks of hawthorn or oak as their 
weapons. Sometimes big fights were started by a man 
holding out a stick and having one member of a faction 
spit on it and asking a man of the opponent's faction 
then to let him spit on. If he did, this was a challenge 
and the fight started. Tents were upset and the people 
scattered leaving the fair grounds to the combatants. 
The origin of these factional fights in those parts 
was the betrayal of the Earl of Desmond; — a Fitz- 
gerald — by a Moriarity. However, in the course of 
time they branched into minor factions. There, too, 
was a class of idle half-gentry, called middlemen, in 
the country who pretty often caused faction fights. 
They made it a practice to attend fox hunts, horse 
races, cock fights and country fairs. They were idle, 
extravagant drunkards having the pretentions of gen- 
tlemen, and by the common people were called master 
"D — R — fe," while in truth and in fact they were the 
very pest of society. Another mistaken notion entered 
their heads that to give drink was a first-class qualifi- 
cation to be a gentleman, consequently they gave it 
freely pretty often and therefore secured a following. 
An insult arising out of a fox hunt, a horse race, 
a cock fight, or even a common game of cards in 
which they were concerned often led to serious faction 
fights. These faction fights were disapproved of by 

28 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



the honest worker ; they were denounced by the clergy 
and suppressed by the poHce. 

Penianism — (See Author's Note on page 64.) 

Forty-Shilling Freeholders.. — Persons (men) in oc- 
cupation of very small holdings with an annual valua- 
tion of both buildings and land combined amounting 
to forty shillings or over, were entitled to vote at 
Parliamentary elections. Landlords who used their 
tenants as voting instruments encouraged the dividing 
of holdings into as many patches with a valuation of 
forty shillings as was possible so as to multiply votes. 
In villages like North Cahirdorgan, Kildurry, Cahirs, 
Culibeen, Smerwick, Ballybrack and others a surpris- 
ingly large number of votes were obtained by this 
means. Usually the small holders voted as their 
immediate lessors requested. They were deprived of 
their votes with the passing of Catholic emancipation 
and the valuation has increased to ten pounds. O'Con- 
nell was blamed for it, but he is credited with having 
said that he would not accept Catholic emancipation 
if he knew that by so doing the forty-shilling free- 
holders would have to be sacrificed. The general 
belief is that he was in full accord with it from the 
start, in order to check a too rapid growth in the 
population of the country. 

Gaudy Ribbon Crosses (St. Patrick's Day). — These 
of various colors were sold on our streets some thirty- 
five years ago and worn on children's arms on St. 
Patrick's Day, but are now wholly extinct. A green 
rosette with a harp is now worn in front on the left 
breast instead. (See "His. Co. Kerry," page 37.) 

George Wyndham's Land Purchase Act. — This land 
act of 1903, introduced by George Wyndham, then 

29 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



Chief Secretary for Ireland, was the first good 
"Broom" brought by the Government to sweep the 
landlords of Ireland out of existence. 

Glenheigh Evictions. — These took place in 1887, or 
thereabouts. At the suggestion of General Revvers 
Buller, who was then in Ireland, the agent had the 
tenants' houses destroyed by fire. Mr. Edward Har- 
rington, M. P., and Mr. Sheehan, M. P., played a 
prominent part in opposing the carrying out of those 
evictions. 

Great Famine. — This famine started in both Ireland 
and England in 1315, or thereabouts. Mothers were 
known to devour their own children, and children ate 
their dead parents. Parents stole the children of 
others to eat them. Starving women started dancing 
around open air fires, to attract children so as to kill 
and cook them. Dead bodies were taken from the 
graves to be used for food. In jails prisoners ate 
each other. This famine, and the pestilence that ac- 
companied it coming and going, lasted about eighty- 
five years. 

Halley's Comet.— On the 18th of May, 1910, the 
earth passed through the tail of Halley's comet. Its 
approach caused great fear and excitement in some 
places. It is very remarkable that great wars follow 
Halley's comet. 

Head Act. — By this law if an Irishman was found 
going on a journey from one county to another with- 
out being accompanied by an Englishman, dressed in 
English apparel, and of name and fame, it was lawful 
to kill the Irishman and cut off his head. For every 
head cut off the murderer was to receive one penny 
reward. The slaughter was great. Incredible as this 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



might appear to the reader, it is too true. Deputy 
Earl of Desmond, representing British law in Ireland, 
was responsible for this Act 

Harrington and Bsmonas Election. — This Parlia- 
mentary election contest took place between Edward 
Harrington, Parnellite, outgoing M. P. for West 
Kerry, and Sir Thomas Gratton Esmond, anti-Parnell- 
ite. By the undue influence of the clergy, Sir Thomas 
Gratton was elected. 

Home Rule. — On Thursday, the 19th day of May, 
1870, this association sprung into existence in Dublin 
under the leadership of Isaac Butt, a Protestant Na- 
tionalist. Briefly stated, the principal object con- 
templated by the organization was to obtain for the 
Irish people power to make their own laws and manage 
their own local affairs by an Irish Parliament, and 
to be subject to the English Crown, like Canada, 
Southwest Africa and Australia. In the Irish Parlia- 
ment there was not to be a class or creed ascendancy, 
but Protestants and Catholics were to be linked to- 
gether in one bond in a free and independent Parlia- 
ment. In 1871, Isaac Butt was elected a member of 
Parliament for Eimerick without a contest. Many 
Protestants joined the Home Rule cause. In the 
North of Ireland there exists a class of foreign Irish 
better known throughout the world as "Orangemen."' 
The English Unionist classes, under the false color 
and pretense of peacemakers and Christians, are doing 
the utmost in their power to sow the seeds of discord 
and dissension among the Irish people. One of the 
sharpest wedges they can drive to divide the people 
in Ireland is religion. They raised the cry that it was 
not "Home Rule" but "Rome Rule." The wealth of 

31 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



the Unionist party, or capitalist classes, of England, 
Scotland, Ireland, India, Africa, Australia, New Zea- 
land and Canada is behind them, and this class of 
people are petted and pampered for keeping the 
Unionist party in power. 

Home rule bills were often passed by the House 
of Commons as representing a substantial majority 
of the people of the United Kingdom but rejected by 
the House of Lords. However, it may be well to note 
that a fight to restore the Irish Parliament under the 
title of "Repeal of the Union" started in Ireland 
before the doors of the Houses of Parliament were 
closed.* 

House-League. — This league was introduced into 
those parts in 1886, through the Irish National 
League. The object of the House League was to 
check the owners of houses from charging exorbitant 
rents to the occupants. In Dingle, Castlegregory, and 
other places, the League fixed "fair rents" and com- 
pelled the owners to give clear receipts, on payment 
of the new rents. For various reasons, the House 
League was never popular. As intimidation was 
practiced by the House League upon the owners of 
houses, the law courts held the receipts given invalid, 
and the old rents were recovered. 

Influenza. — This is one of the most contagious dis- 
eases known, and far more dangerous than most peo- 
ple believe. Its last serious appearance amongst the 
people was in 1889-90. Every time it started from 
China and traveled the world quicker than any other 

*The Union came into force on the 1st of January, 1801. Ever since 
the fight to restore to Ireland her Parliament has gone on without in- 
termission. The members of Grattan's Parliament were all Protestants 
yet the majority of Roman Catholics in Ireland prefer it to a union with 
England. 

32 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



disease. A letter written by one person to another, 
although over three thousand miles apart, caused an 
outbreak of the disease. Those suffering from any 
other malady, especially consumptives, were swept 
away to their graves. It made many a fond mother 
cry. It was known to be in Ireland in 1836-37, 
1847-48, 1889-90. It is said that influenza first 
appeared in the country in 1570. 

Invisible-Blood-Jobbers. — These are false and cor- 
rupt political leaders who for blood-money, and in 
hopes of receiving positions with pay, power, and 
false honor, are seducing the young men of Ireland 
into that mad and insane war now raging in Europe. 

Ivy Day. — The anniversary of Parnell's burial. Ivy 
is an evergreen, therefore it is worn on Sunday fol- 
lowing the 6th of October to keep the memory of 
C. S. Parnell forever green in the hearts of his fol- 
lowers. 

Kennels and Hunting. — Formerly hunting was very 
much carried on in the peninsula. Every Sunday dur- 
ing the hunting season the sides of our mountains and 
valleys resounded with the yells of packs of half- 
starved bagles kept by middlemen. With the disap- 
pearance of the latter class, the bagles also followed, 
save a few exceptions. 

Kerry Bonds. — Persons who were unable to pay 
their tithes in full when demanded and overdue, gave 
a bond bearing interest. The system appears to be 
peculiar to the promontories of Kerry for some time, 
but finally became extinct. Many of these bonds were 
given for tithes illegally levied. 

Kerry Cows Know Sunday. — This old saying is 
handed down to us as a relic of the wicked famine 

33 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



which started in 1739, when living cattle were bled 
once a week and the blood boiled with milk, cabbage 
or grass to make a Sunday meal for the family. (See 
1713.) 

Kerry Election. — This election took place in Febru- 
ary of 1872. It was the first great flame kindled 
between the Home Rule party and the landlord classes 
in the county. The landlords were so irritated by the 
speeches delivered by the Blennerhassett supporters 
that they were determined to make their power felt 
and destroy the Home Rule party. The candidate 
chosen by the Home Rule party was a Protestant 
gentleman named Ponsby Blennerhassett from Kells. 
James A. Dease, a Roman Catholic gentleman from 
West Meath, was selected by the family of the Earl 
of Kenmare for the landlords. Dr. Moriarty, a Roman 
Catholic bishop, did all in his power to elect the 
nominee of the Kenmare family. In face of terror 
and landlord's oppression, in open voting the Home 
Rule candidate was elected by the Roman Catholics 
of Kerry. Many patriotic priests took sides with 
Blennerhassett. This gentleman remained true to the 
Home Rule party, but the Home Rule party, led by 
Sir Isaac Butt, was considered too mild. (See my 
"History of County Kerry" for a full account of this 
election.) 

Kissing the Blarney Stone by the Silver Tongue of 
Kerry and Others. — There is a saying among some 
people that Counselor Hussey of Farnakilla, known 
as the "Silver Tongue" of Kerry, kissed the Blarney 
stone in Blarney Castle, County Cork, and thereby 
secured his sweet, fluent, silver-tongued speech. He 
is not the only person hereabouts who is said to have 

34 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



kissed the Blarney stone. Everyone from the South 
of Ireland who has secured a fluent or flattering 
speech is credited with visiting it. As some individu- 
als will be found ignorant enough to ascribe such a 
virtue to the stone and tell others in foreign lands 
that it possesses such, I am going a little outside my 
province to remove it as far as possible. If you were 
forever rubbing your tongue to the Blarney stone, you 
zvould Und no virtue in it whereby your speech will 
be improved, and I dare say Silver Tongue of Dingle 
never kissed the stone. 

Thousands of legends and stories are woven about 
it, but these were written for amusement, and the cir- 
cumstances connected with kissing the stone supplied 
good food for legends and diversion. 

There is a castle called "Blarney Castle" about six 
miles on this (Kerry) side of the City of Cork, within 
the Village of Blarney in the County of Cork. This 
castle contains a stone bearing the following inscrip- 
tion: 

CoRMACH McCarthy 
Portis me Fieri Pacit 
A. D. 1446. 
or the like. In 1602 an Irish chieftain named Cormach 
McDermod Carthy, who held the castle against the 
English, when hard pressed, concluded a truce with 
the Lord President, kissed the Blarney stone which his 
forefathers placed there, thereby leaving the Lord 
President and the English under the impression (with- 
out promising) that the castle would be surrendered 
as soon as McCarthy would reason with his followers 
and remove some of his belongings. The Lord Presi- 
dent sent messengers to the English officers, gladly 

35 



HISTORY OP IRELAND 



informing them that he "got Blarney" from McCarthy 
without much trouble. McCarthy, who was only bor- 
rowing time and quietly strengthening his castle, then 
set about and with fair promises and false pretext 
day by day put off the Lord President until he was 
reinforced by the Spaniards. Even then the Lord 
President was firmly assuring his countrymen that he 
"got Blarney" for them. 

However, when the English found that instead of 
the Lord President having Blarney Castle he had 
nothing but McCarthy's honey and flattering speeches 
and they then had a hard fight before them, the Lord 
President became the laughing stock of both English, 
Irish and Spaniards, who mockingly would say of him, 
"He got Blarney." 

If you will ever visit Blarney for the purpose of 
kissing the Blarney stone, you may be prepared for 
all sorts of tricks. The more earnest you appear about 
kissing it, the more fables you will be told about it. 
If a man is too feeble looking to climb, those in the 
Village of Blarney will most likely point out another 
broken stone lying on the ground belonging to the 
castle, telling him that a drunken blackguard dug it 
out of its place for carrying it away to make money 
by improving people's speech, and left it fall down 
and it was smashed, and then it lost its virtue. 

If you are young and active, they will point out to 
you another stone about one hundred feet from the 
ground and tell you you must go up to the top of the 
castle and be held by the heels and leave your head 
and body hang downwards outside the parapet wall 
of the castle. Of course, you will say that is impossi- 

36 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



ble for you to do. Then you are told you must go 
home without improving your speech. 

Land League and Irish National League. — On the 
28th of April, 1879, the Land League was founded in 
Irishtown, West Mayo, by the late Michael Davitt. 
The object of this League was to abolish landlordism 
and make tenant farmers owners of their own hold- 
ings. Charles Stewart Parnell was placed at the head 
of this new organization, and on the 8th of June, Par- 
nell and Davitt appeared at a monster meeting held 
at West Port. The Land League was suppressed by 
the Coercion Act, but the spirit was untouched. The 
name was changed to the Irish-National-League and 
Parnell chosen as its president. The Land League 
succeeded in its object. 

Landlords or Their Land Agents' Approval Neces- 
sary to Marriages., — Within my personal recollection 
in this part of the country tenant-farmers had to go 
to the landlords or their agents or secretaries and get 
their landlord's approval of their sons' and daughters' 
marriages. If a farmer's son got married and the 
landlord or his agent was not consulted in his case, he 
would have to canvass for great influence when it 
would be time for him to become tenant, and even 
then he would stand great danger of never being 
accepted. The parents of the parties to be married 
would pretend to their landlord's agents that, owing 
to the holding being small or the quality of the land 
bad, they received a very small fortune. Castle 
Gregory was about the first place which I noticed to 
rebel against the system. Whenever a landlord, his 
agent or secretary passed by, the custom was to lift 
the hat off the head. Tenant farmers or any member 

37 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



of their families not doing so were looked upon very 
unfavorably thereafter. With the Land League, these 
customs rapidly began to decline. 

La Varaha na Feir, or The Killing of People in 
Dingle by the Military. — It appears a fierce encounter 
took place between soldiers and civilians in upper Main 
Street and Goat Street, Dingle, resulting in the killing 
of several persons. I regret I have forgotten grand- 
mother's story in which was given the date, loss of 
life and circumstances that led to it. 

Lieth Broath, or Qiiirn. — This is a kind of hand 
millstone for grinding corn which formerly could be 
found in almost every house in the barony, but at 
present has almost entirely disappeared. 

Middlemen and the Conacre System. — Middlemen 
were landlords between the head landlords and the 
cultivators. Head landlords with large properties, 
wishing to live away in some other country, divided 
their properties and let them to persons called "mid- 
dlemen." The middleman divided his portion and 
sublet the same at about treble the rent he was paying 
his head landlord. A third middleman would parcel 
his up into small divisions and sublet at an enormous 
profit. With a string of middlemen between the head 
landlord and the cultivator, an acre let by the head 
landlord to his immediate lessor for five shillings per 
acre might cost the cultivator five pounds. But that 
was not the worst. Very often a man was required 
to pay two or three times for the same patch of ground 
— even the man paying for his little "hundred" of 
ground had sometimes to pay twice for his little patch 
of potatoes — because two men would be claiming title 
to the land. Then there was the usual staff of office 

38 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



men, rent warners, bog rangers, bailiffs and under- 
strappers who claimed tributes as well as the middle- 
men. Tenants were called upon to cut, save and draw 
home corn, hay, turf and sea manure for nothing, 
leaving the women and children attend to the tenant's 
own crops. Whether the middlemen were of Irish 
descent or foreign, Catholic or Protestant it did not 
matter much to the tenant, as they were nearly all 
oppressors of the worse kind imaginable. 

The middleman of the Eighteenth Century were the 
very scum of society and the seeds of immorality. 
They destroyed and brought to sorrow most young 
girls that put any confidence in them or entered their 
service. Parnell's land agitation destroyed the last 
of them. 

Molly McGuires. — This name was given to three 
secret societies The first was an Irish secret society, 
formed in or about the year 1833, in the Barony of 
Farney Co., Monogham, Ireland, to co-operate with 
the Ribbon-Men, and was called after C. McGuire, a 
leader in the Irish wars of 1641. The object of this 
society was to resist the distraining of cattle for rent, 
then common with landlords and middlemen. At that 
time very often a poor tenant had to pay five or six 
times for the same piece of ground, for which he had 
already paid his immediate lessor, because the imme- 
diate lessor, or landlord failed to pay one of the mid- 
dlemen or landlords over him. (See Middlemen.) 
Distraining a tenant's cattle, impounding them, and 

*Bess Rice and Clara Hussey were Catholics and belonged to the 
last century. While they held sway to the west of Dingle they both 
caused so much misery to their unfortunate tenants that the tears which 
fell from mothers, wives, children and husbands would, I am told, water 
those ladies' whole properties. The way in which they oppressed their 
victims would, it appears, be their most fitting epitaph. 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



selling them at auction before his eyes, in the name of 
British law and justice, for another man's debts, of 
which he had no knowledge or control and provided 
no legal remedy, to him appeared a wicked law. The 
McGuires applied the most desperate remedies avail- 
able. Disguised as women, they rescued the cattle, 
flung boiling water and porridge on bailiffs, clubbed 
and stoned process servers, broke the locks on the 
pounds and released the cattle. 

The activities of this society were confined to Ire- 
land. Dressing in women's clothing caused the name 
"Molly" to be given to them. 

As other new tenant-league societies grew up, the;^ 
began to decline about the year 1856 

The second and next Molly McGuires was an Irish- 
American secret society, with many branches in the 
coal mine districts of Pennsylvania, U. S. A. This 
society took the name of the Irish society, but these 
societies had no other connection whatsoever with 
each other, only in name. The first qualification re- 
quired by the American society was that its members 
should be Irishmen by birth, or descent, and also Cath- 
olics. This society took an active part in politics, and 
had its secret signs and passwords conveyed to them 
from England, through a Board of Erin. For being 
a secret organization, the Catholic Church declared 
against its members. 

From amongst the local branches of the society in 
the anthracite coal mines of Northeastern Pennsyl- 
vania another notorious secret criminal inner ring of 
Molly McGuires was formed They converted the local 
branches of the Molly McGuires, for their own protec- 
tion, against the encroachments of English miners 

40 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



(Cousin Jacks and Cousin Germans included), on their 
jobs. Many of these Irish miners, previous to their 
coming to America, worked in the coal mines in Eng- 
land. In the latter country they received very poor 
treatment. They left that country carrying with them 
a deep hatred for anything that was English. Through 
secret societies, churches and lodges, to which bosses 
and superintendents belonged. English miners were 
making their way in amongst the Irish miners and 
Irishmen discharged. This was the start of the trou- 
ble. Soon the Molly McGuires by violence, conducted 
secretly, started at getting rid of superintendents, 
bosses and police hostile to them. In face of their 
condemnation by their church, they went forward, the 
most religious dropping away from the society. 

In the war between the North and South, there was 
an increased demand for coal. English, Welsh and 
German miners were sent into the mines to work, and 
Irishmen of American birth or who were American 
citizens, taken away to fight. Replacing Irishmen that 
v/ere fighting for America, with their most hated foes, 
the English, also with Welsh and Germans, caused 
trouble, with the result that they began to oppose con- 
scription, and some army officers were roughly han- 
dled. 

From this onward, rough handling, burning, faction 
fights and murder went on in the coal mines. The 
Molly McGuires were blamed for nearly all crimes, no 
matter who committed them. On or about the year 
1865, they killed a colliery superintendent, which at- 
tracted widespread attention. 

James McParlan, an Irish Catholic detective, joined 
the society and became one of its leaders. After three 

41 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



years a member he secured damaging evidence which 
led to the execution of the ringleaders and imprison- 
ment of a large number of the Molly McGuires. 

Moonlighting. — In 1878 this name was assumed by 
an unknown leader in this county (Kerry), who wrote 
threatening letters containing a diagram of a coffin, 
skull-bones and a rifle. He signed himself "Captain 
Moonlight." Small bands of men, secretly armed and 
disguised, went by night and raided the houses of land 
grabbers, emergency men and bad land agents. Glad- 
stone and Foster's Coercion Acts, prohibiting the hold- 
ing of meetings or allowing the people any means 
whatsoever of seeking a redress of their grievances 
forced this regrettable but necessary evil. In some 
cases in those moonlighting raids lives were taken, 
and to satisfy the Government and the ascendency 
class many innocent persons were hanged and others 
sent to penal servitude. The police and landlord 
under-strappers manufactured many crimes for which 
moonlighters and land leaguers were wrongly blamed 
and punished.''' 

National School Teachers Slapping Their Pupils 
for Speaking Irish. — The movement for the preserva- 
tion and revival of the Irish language put a stop to 
the National school teachers' habit of beating their 
pupils for speaking their native language. 

When I was in Old Mexico I found the peons and 

*Many in America unacquainted with Irish politics are under the 
impression that moonlighting is "moonshining, " i. e., making poteen 
whisky. Moonshining is pretty common in backward portions of Florida 
and Virginia. Moonshiners have no welcome for strangers for fear of 
informing on them. They denounce the laws which compel them to 
work by night boiling the produce of their toil in the wilderness while 
no law stops ladies from wearing aigrettes or slaughtering fine 
birds of Florida for their feathers. On the approach of strangers moon- 
shiners hide the still, extinguish their campfires and hide themselves in 
the forests very quickly. 

42 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



Indians made use of a number of words corresponding 
in sound and meaning to words in the Irish language. 

Ogham Characters. — These are a species of ancient 
Irish writings, marks and lines cut into upright pillar 
and monumental stones which are very numerous in 
Corkaguiny. It is said that the term Ogham was first 
applied to the sacred writings of our Druids. 

Orangemen. — These are foreign Irishmen espousing 
the cause of William of Orange, who on the 1st of 
July, 1690, defeated dirty King James of England at 
the Battle of the Boyne. About the year 1795 Orange- 
men began to organize. Their first oaths and declara- 
tions were that they would never rest satisfied until 
they would be victoriously knee-deep in Papist blood, 
i. e.. Catholic blood. In surpressing Irish societies, 
administering those oaths were also forbidden, and in 
1857 the Lord Chancellor ordered that justices of the 
peace should not be members of Orange clubs. Or- 
angemen in their 12th of July celebrations wrecked 
Catholic churches and police of the Orange type in 
our locality often celebrated the 12th of July by 
assaulting civilians, afterwards arresting them. 

(See Supplementary History County Kerry for a 
clear account of the Battle of the Boyne, the Fall of 
Limerick and the Broken Treaty of Limerick.) 

Parnellite Splits., — On the 6th day of December, 
1890, this unfortunate Parnellite split took place. On 
the 17th of November of that year a decree of divorce 
was granted to Captain O'Shea, separating him from 
his wife on the grounds of improper conduct with 
Parnell. Three days after the decree was pronounced 
by the court, a meeting of the Irish Parliamentary 
party was held in Linster Hall Dublin. Here Justin 

43 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



McCarthy proposed and Timothy Healy seconded that 
Parnell possessed the confidence of the Irish nation 
and five days after the Irish ParHamentary party 
unanimously elected him their leader. While these 
proceedings were taking place amongst the Irish Na- 
tionalists, Gladstone addressed a letter to John Morley, 
Chief Secretary of Ireland, demanding Parnell's resig- 
nation from the leadership. Parnell refused to yield 
to Gladstone's dictation. 

Immediately the bishops and priests of Ireland were 
ranked in all their fury against Parnell and his sup- 
porters. During the whole of the years 1891, 1892 
and 1893, almost on every Sunday the priests from 
the altars were denouncing the Parnellites. Young 
priests out of college were allowed to go to the utmost 
extremities. The whole country was very much 
divided, even members of the same family differed — 
the father argued against the son and the son did the 
same against the father. One party was called Par- 
nellites and the other Anti-Parnellites. It was very 
plain that the Irish people were very unwilling to 
throw aside their fallen chief, especially at the bidding 
of one of Parnell's former political foes. 

Parnell was a Protestant and divorces were pretty 
numerous in England, therefore many considered the 
question outside of the jurisdiction of the Catholic 
clergy, while English church and statesmen could not 
consistently make such a demand upon Irishmen. For 
the first time, here the clergy met serious opposition 
from the people. At meetings priests were hooted. 
Fights with fists and sticks became frequent. 

In the West Kerry Parliamentary Division every 
parish priest, with the exception of Canon Daniel 

44 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



O'Sullivan, did the utmost in his power to force the 
electors to vote for Sir Thomas G. Esmond, Anti- 
ParnelHte, and against Edward Harrington, M. P. 
In this spHt a very fine brass band belonging to the 
Dingle Temperance Society was broken up and de- 
stroyed because it was to play at an Anti-Parnellite 
meeting, contrary to the wishes of the Parnellite 
members who were refused permission to take the 
band to one of Parnell's meetings. The Cattle Fair, 
re-established in Goat Street by the National League, 
was carried back to the old Brewery on the Spa 
Road. Lord Ventry was back again as Chairman 
of the Dingle Poor Law Board. It was a bad split 
for Ireland. Sir Thomas G. Esmond was declared 
elected, but as clerical intimidation was too fierce the 
result was more an unnecessary display of priestly 
power than a true representation of the choice of a free 
people. 

Peelers. — This was the name given by the common 
people, in the Irish language, to the police force, be- 
cause they were appointed in pursuance of the Peace 
Preservation Act of 1814, of which Sir Robert Peel 
was the proposer. In after years a like law was 
applied to England, and the English, to be different 
from the Irish, nicknamed their police "Bobbies," for 
Robert. 

Penal Laws. — These were laws passed both by the 
English and Irish Protestant Parliaments, prohibiting 
a Catholic to live in England or Ireland, if he practiced 
any part of the Catholic religion. Priests were ban- 
ished. However, they performed the Catholic ser- 
vices in caves, mountains and other hiding places. 

45 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



By Catholic emancipation the Penal I^aws were 
nearly abolished. 

Phoenix Park Murders. — On the evening of the 6th 
of May, 1882, Lord Frederick Cavendish, a new and 
friendly Chief Secretary to Ireland, and Thomas H. 
Burke, a prominent Under-Secretary, were surrounded 
by the Invincibles while walking in the Phoenix Park, 
Dublin, and silently stabbed to death with amputating 
knives imported for the purpose. 

While Foster was Chief Secretary, many attempts 
were made to murder him, but they all failed. His 
escapes were miraculous. 

Burke was blamed for poisoning the mind of every 
Chief Secretary or Minister sent into the country, and 
also for the Coercion Act. Lord Cavendish was of- 
fered permission to escape, but he refused, and there- 
fore met the fate of Burke. On the evidence of James 
Carey, the informer, the Invincibles were hanged. The 
Government tried to smuggle Carey to South Africa. 
He was followed by Pat O'Donnell, an Invincible, and 
shot on board the "Milrose" in or near Port Elizabeth, 
South Africa. 

For the murder of James Carey, Pat O'Donnell was 
convicted on the 1st of December and executed on the 
17th of December, 1883, at New Gate, London. 

Primrose League. — This is a kind of a league of 
landlords, their ladies and followers, putting forward 
three principles, viz. : Maintenance of religion, estates 
of the realm and imperial ascendency. It was founded 
in England in 1883. Meetings of the Primrose League 
were held in the Grove, Dingle, and many other places 
in the barony, which were attended by the "Shoneen" 
class. On the anniversary of the death of Lord Ba- 

46 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



consfield members wear a bunch of roses, although 
not his favorite flower. 

Pitch Cap. — This was a cap made of pitch or tar. 
In 1798, pitch caps were placed by English officers on 
the heads of the Irish rebels until they would stick on 
to the hair and flesh, then these were set on fire. 

Plan of Campaign. — This was started by William 
O'Brien and John Dillion (without the approval of 
Parnell), about the year 1886. A fair rent was 
offered by the tenants to the landlords, which the 
latter refused. With a view to forcing the landlords 
to terms, a strike was started against the payment of 
any rent. The rents were paid into the "Plan of Cam- 
paign" and deposited in the bank. However, in many 
cases the landlords obtained garnishee orders from the 
courts and seized the money in the banks. Politicians 
blame William O'Brien and John Dillion for not using 
better judgment in this and the building of New Tip- 
perary in 1887. 

Poff and Barrett Hanged. — On the 22nd of Janu- 
ary, 1883, Sylvester Poff and James Barrett were 
hanged at Tralee jail for murder They were con- 
victed by a packed jury at Cork. By public opinion 
they were found innocent and their execution is classed 
with Crown judicial murders of Kerrymen. 

Poor Scholars or the Hedge School Teachers. — 
These wandered all over the country and taught 
lessons, very often in the open air. They disappeared 
with the introduction of the national schools. 

Pope's Brass Band. — This was the name applied by 
the English press to the Irish Parliamentary Party 
which distinguished itself in the fight against the 
ecclesiastical titles bill. Its leaders were Keogh and 

47 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



Saddlier. The Irish people had such confidence in 
their Parhamentary representatives that they called 
them the 'Irish Brigade." However, soon they dis- 
covered that the leaders were the worst traitors that 
ever stood on Irish soil. Keogh and Saddlier accepted 
Government positions. Judge Keogh cut his own 
throat while confined in a madhouse, and on the 16th 
(of February, 1856, SaddHer committed suicide by 
swallowing prussic acid. Another prominent member 
of the band of traitors ended his life much after the 
fashion of the leaders, while the band melted quickly. 

Public Pilgrimage to Brandon Mountain. — This 
took place on Sunday, the 28th of June, 1868. The 
religious services at the mountain peak were presided 
over by Dr. Moriarty, the Catholic Bishop of Kerry. 
About twenty thousand persons attended. 

(See Hist. Co. Kerry, Chapter V, page 39.) 

Recantation (Public). — During the great anti-Cath- 
olic campaign in the Dingle Peninsula, when a Roman 
Catholic became a Protestant it was the custom to 
supply him with a written document to be signed by 
him wherein he withdraw all he ever said against 
Protestantism and gave particulars of the superstition 
and errors of Popery which he then denounced. Sworn 
documents were read in Protestant churches and pub- 
lished. However, not more than five per cent of the 
alleged subscribers to those recantations and deposi- 
tions knew what they contained. 

Saints' Birthdays. — It was not on the birthdays but 
the death days that the early Catholic Church held 
festivals in honor of saints and martyrs, notwithstand- 
ing that such celebrations found in ancient documents 
may be given as that particular saint's birthday. St. 

48 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



Bridget's Festival and St. Patrick's Festival are cele- 
brated on the reputed anniversary of their deaths. 

There are a few cases in our country where pagans, 
after being converted, baptised and received into the 
church, have their celebrations on the anniversary of 
their baptism or public entry. Usually they selected 
a saint's festival day for that purpose. 

Birthday celebrations at the beginning of Christianity 
were looked on with anger by the Christians, because 
they were oppressed and persecuted by both Jews and 
pagans, and they found in their start the world hard, 
cold and cruel. 

Sein Fein. — This is a new party which sprang into 
existence. Its motto is "Sein Fein," or "Ourselves 
Alone," meaning thereby that not through a British 
Parliament but through Irishmen working together in 
building up Irish industries and holding to the national 
language will the redemption of Ireland be accom- 
pHshed. 

The Sinn Fein movement is purely a political, eco- 
nomic and non-military society. The name "Sinn Fein 
Volunteers" today throughout the world is more 
wrongly applied to the Irish Revolutionary Party 
than calling the Battle of Bunker Hill to the 
battle fought between the British soldiers and 
American Revolutionists at Breed's Hill, Boston, 
Mass. The Irish Revolutionists were made up of 
Irish Volunteers, Gaelic Leaguers and other Irish 
societies. They protested against the youth of Ireland 
under false colors to be drawn into the British army. 
These societies pointed out that the English secured 
the first foothold on Irish soil by fraud and misrep- 
resentation. Ever since then the English are the so- 

49 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



called owners, contrary to the will of the Irish people. 
Protestant and Catholic alike wrote their protest with 
their life's blood against British tyrannical laws. 
Through disrespect for them the revolutionists were 
called "Sinn Fein Volunteers" by their opponents. 
These revolutionists now erroneously called "Sinn 
Fein Volunteers," broke out in the City of Dublin on 
Easter Monday, 24th of April. A body of revolution- 
ary Irish Volunteers, dressed in Irish military uniform, 
marched in processional order through the streets of 
Dublin, took possession of the general postoffice and 
proclaimed an Irish Republic. Patrick H. Pearse was 
chosen as Provisional President, and James Connelly, 
Commander. 

English military forces of all kinds, with artillery 
and field guns, were quickly brought against the rev- 
olutionists. Against wrecking fire of shot and steel, 
these Republican Irish Volunteers, with little food 
and no sleep for nearly a full week, fought against the 
British. During the fight a portion of the city was 
burned. The English army burned whole blocks of 
houses, apparently with the object of giving themselves 
a clear field for the play of artillery and field guns 
against the revolutionary army. The Volunteers also 
set fire to buildings, hoping that the flames might 
reach Dublin Castle and destroy that British official 
stronghold in the country, but without success. 

Liberty Hall, the Revolutionary party headquarters, 
was bombarded from H. M. S. "Helga." Machine 
guns secretly hidden by the government in the Cus- 
tom-House were also turned upon it and it was de- 
stroyed. 

50 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



Early in the fight James Connelly, the Irish Com- 
mander-in-Chief, was wounded and nearly died. 
P. H. Pearse took command. Foreign relief from 
Germany was expected, but it did not come, as Sir 
Roger Casement was arrested in Tralee and the vessel 
containing arms sunk. 

After a week's hard fighting, both day and night, 
the British troops were getting the best of the Irish 
Volunteers. P. H. Pearse saw that they were com- 
pletely surrounded by troops and artillery. In order 
to prevent further slaughter of the unarmed, he 
agreed to surrender and accordingly advised the Re- 
publicans. Ladies and shop girls fought bravely for 
Irish freedom. Contrary to the rules of warfare, six- 
teen leaders were shot dead. Eight of them signed the 
document proclaiming the Irish Republic. 

The men shot after surrendering were Patrick H. 
Pearse, Thomas J. Clark, Thomas MacDonagh, Jo- 
seph Plunket, Edward Daly, William O'Hanrahan, 
William Pearse, Edmond Kent, John McBride, Corne- 
lius Culbert, J. J. Hewston, Michael Mallon, Thomas 
Kent, James Connelly, John M. Dermott, F. S. Skeff- 
ington. Killing these men cannot improve the con- 
ditions of the country because they were no traitors to 
their native land. They were prepared to accept aid 
for the freedom of Ireland from any country and re- 
fused to be hirelings. 

The immediate cause of the revolution was, it ap- 
pears, a secret document distributed in cypher amongst 

p. S. — While this book was in the hands of Messrs. Sealy, Bryer &; 
Walker, printers, Dublin, the war broke out. The premises of the 
printers, together with several manuscripts of the author, were burned. 
The account here of the revolution is added now to the part of the 
burned copies. 

51 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



the military authorities containing instructions to the 
mihtary to seize the Sinn Feiners, Gaelic Leaguers and 
Irish Volunteers' headquarters, and arrested the lead- 
ers. Conscription was then to be enforced in Ireland. 
Postoffice officials who were Irish Republicans evi- 
dently kept a close eye on the Government proceed- 
ings and the documents fell into the hands of the Irish 
Republicans. The Irish Volunteers stood pledged to 
the single service of Ireland, and decided that if they 
were to die fighting they should do it for the cause 
of Ireland. Accordingly they broke out two days be- 
fore the day fixed for capturing their strongholds. 

The plan of the British Government failed com- 
pletely, but it cost many valuable lives, both of men 
and women — Catholic and Protestant. The revolution 
is condemned by Mr. John Redmond and his other 
Parliamentary followers. On the other hand, John 
Redmond and his followers are classed as traitors and 
job hunters by the Irish Volunteers in Ireland, and 
almost by every national body in the United States, 
and the spirit to avenge the deaths of these martyrs 
is growing fast. 

Since 1907, the present Parliamentary party showed 
signs of departure from the course outlined by Par- 
nell, by accepting a half measure of Home Rule.* The 
Sinn Fein National Council repudiated a definition 
by the National Directory of the Irish demand, to the 
effect that the minimum Irish demand was a sovereign 
Parliament, in Irish affairs "to be equal to and co- 
extensive with those of the Parhament of Great Bri- 
tain," or, in other words, Grattan's Irish Parliament. 

When the half measure of Home Rule was passed 
and Sir Edward Carson, a Unionist M. P., went to 

52 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



Ulster to get the people of Ulster to sign a covenant 
to resist with firearms Home Rule, he boasted he had 
40,000 (more or less) Ulster volunteers to prevent 
the Act from going into operation. The Irish Volun- 
teers asked the Government of Great Britain "If the 
Orangemen can arm and drill, why cannot the rest of 
Ireland do the same ?" Irish Volunteers were allowed 
to arm because the war cloud was hanging over 
Europe and it was considered useful to have Irish 
half-trained soldiers ready to fight. 

When the European war broke out. Home Rule was 
quickly passed, and on the 18th of September, 1914, 
signed by King George, and placed on the Statute 
Book, but suspended from operation until after the end 
of the war. The German people were painted in every 
false color for the Irish people. Most of the common 
people did not believe that the Germans were as bad 
as they were painted. Moreover they had no confi- 
dence in the British Government and looked upon this 
Home Rule scheme as a recruiting bait. 

Next a demand was made on the Irish people to 
"furnish men to fight for the protection of their homes 

*Edward Harrington, M. P. for West Kerry, addressing a meeting 
held by Parnell in the Square Tralee, said: "We will have no half 
measures of Home Rule, and we will have no Chief but Charlie." 

tWhen Jamison raid'ed South Africa the EOers did not shoot him, 
although his crime was the most serious one. Yet the English Govern- 
ment under Premier Asquith had James Connelly, a wounded, dying 
soldier, propped up against the wall because he was not able to stand 
on his limbs and shot dead. 

**The following is a copy of a letter addressed by the author to 
Mr. Thomas O'Donnell, M. P., on the 1st of January, 1916: 

San Francisco, January 1, 1916. 
STOP RECRUITING IRISHMEN, PREACH PEACE, AND VOTE 

AGAINST CONSCRIPTION. 
Dear Sir: I understand that it is the intention of the British Gov- 
ernment to introduce a bill for conscription. Since I left Ireland, I 
notice many strange changes have come over the National leaders of 
Ireland. They are not as fearless as they were in the days of Parnell 

53 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



and Home Rule." Then a split started in the ranks of 
all Irish Volunteers. John Redmond preached that 
"the cause of the AUies was just and the neutrality of 
Ireland impossible, and that England stood for the 
protection of little nationalities." The Irish Volun- 
teers answered that they stood pledged to the single 
service of Ireland ; that the war was not an Irish war, 
but an English war, and in that war Irishmen should 
not fight; that the sacrifice for the honor of having 
Home Rule on the Statute Book only, was too great; 
and also Irishmen received only coercion from Eng- 
land until England's difficulty. 

By the Defense of the Realms Act free speech was 
completely suppressed and Irishmen imprisoned. For 
advising his son not to join the army, a father was 
imprisoned and in fact conscription was partly in 
force in Ireland, but not on the Statute Book.*^ When 
the people were deserted by their leaders, free speech 
suppressed, as usual in such cases the country became 
honeycombed with secret societies. Now Sir Rodger 
Casement is hanged on a charge of high treason.f 

and they completely lost or destroyed their independence. I suppose 
England will now want Irishmen to fight for her and therefore extend 
conscription to Ireland: 
My views are: 

1. FOR PEACE, first and last. 

2. NEUTRAL as between the leading nations responsible for the 
war, viz., England, Germany and Russia. 

3. STRONGLY OPPOSED TO IRISHMEN being sent OUT OP IRE- 
LAND to fight. 

4. England is not fighting to protect the nuns of Belgium from the 
ravages of the Germans, because the British soldiers destroyed the wo- 
men of their own land by thousands before leaving for the battlefront. 

5. England is not fighting for the protection of little nationalities, 
because that country was the greatest exterminator that ever appeared 
on the face of the globe. She put out of existence the two Boer Re- 
publics, as recently as 1902. 

6. That the war is a mass murder of human beings carried on for 
greed. 

7. Opposed to secret treaties or invisible governments, especially 
those binding the people without the full knowledge, consent and vote 

54 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



The History of the Revolution of 1916 is still 
making. 

Skelligs., — (See my History of the Skellings, Blasket 
Islands and the West of Dingle, to which you will add 
the disputes between Rome and the Irish Church over 
the observance of Easter.) 

Soupers and Souperism. — During the last black 
famine the Irish Protestant Mission Society established 
in the Dingle Peninsula soup and gruel kitchens for 
the purpose of tempting starving mothers with young 
children to become Protestants. A Dingle Catholic 
curate named O'Connor called those who accepted the 
soup on condition of joining the Protestant church or 
Scripture classes "Soupers." Finally the expression 
was extended to all of that class of Roman Catholics 
who while still believing in their former religion went 
under the color and pretense of converts for lucre and 
joined the Protestant Church. (See my book on the 
Skelligs and the Souper Campaign.) 

Spanish Armada. — This was a mighty big fleet of 
Spanish ships which in 1588 came to fight against 
England. Many of them wrecked by a storm on our 

of the people of the contracting countries, especially treaties made In 
support of an unjust cause. 

The history of this war now raging in Europe is still in its making. 
To the one standing here it appears to be a monstrous mass murder of 
human beings who are made the victims of a scramble of European 
financiers, their rulers and supporters, for many years plotting to rob 
one another of trade profit and territory. It is plain to a child that 
each of the nations of Europe for many years were struggling to out do 
each other in building murderous equipment and forming compacts for 
the same purpose. The sudden killing of the Crown Head of Austria 
was like setting a lighted match to oil barrels already in position for 
the blaze. 

The plain leading facts as they appear to me are that Germany 
wants the expansion of territory and sea power, and England is jealous 
of the rapid growth of sea commerce of Germany, and therefore avails 
herself of this opportunity to destroy it for ages. I honestly believe 
that all the other arguments about militarian little nationalities, etc., 
ought to at once be rejected as manufactured excuses to justify war. 

Having come to the conclusion that this is legalized murder of the 

55 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



coast. A big ship called "Our Lady of the Rosary," 
went down in Blasquet Islands Sound. The destruc- 
tion of the Armada caused Spain to lose the suprem- 
acy of the sea. 

(See my book on the Skellig and Blasket Islands 
for more particulars.) 

Statute of Kilkenny. — Statute of Kilkenny was a 
law passed by the son of Edward III, Lional, Duke of 
Clearance, preventing English settlers speaking the 
Irish language, wearing Irish dress or adopting Irish 
names or customs. 

St. Patrick's Day. — Ireland's national holiday. This 
is the date (17th of March) set down for the death 
of St. Patrick. 

Tanistry. — This was an ancient law and custom 
amongst the Irish whereby the owner made equal 
divisions of his lands amongst his sons, legitimate or 
illegitimate alike. This was abolished by British law 
in 1604. 

Tar a. — On a hill in the County Meath stood a court 
called Tara, where the Kings of Ireland were crowned. 
Daniel O'Connel, the Liberator, held a repeal meeting 
there which was attended by one million persons. 

people carried on in the false color and pretense of patriotism for the 
benefit of gold crazed human wolves, as between the three leading na- 
tions at war, the author is neutral. However, he is opposed to the 
shedding of blood in such a wicked cause, or fond Irish mothers raising 
children to be targets for rifles at the becking of every false leader. 
Look at the fruits those rulers and politicians of Europe produced; they 
have washed the frontier red with a sea of human blood; peaceful homes 
are in ruins; the wild wail of women, children or aged parents cannot 
stop their hungry craving for human slaughter; by soldiers at home and 
abroad women are ravaged; the flower of Europe are drawn from the 
common people by thousands, and most of them must pay for militarism 
with their life's blood in the trenches. Cattle, sheep, hares and deer, 
will take the places of Irish, Scotch, Welch, and English, shot down in 
this war. 

England, contrary to the rules of warfare, tries to starve the civil 
population of Germany, and in return Germany in a more scientific man- 
ner does the same thing to England by sinking great liners, thereby 

56 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



The Irish protested against this being added to tithes 
of the Earl of Aberdeen, the last Lord Lieutenant of 
Ireland. 

Tenants' Defense League. — This was an offshoot of 
the suppressed Land League, and Irish National 
League. It was formed after the latter was sup- 
pressed by Balfour's Coercion Act of 1887. The 
object of this league was to defend the tenant farmers 
against tyrannical landlords, and to obtain the land for 
the people at just rents. This league was announced 
by Parnell and William O'Brien in July of 1888. In 
the winter of that year a branch of it was started in 
Castle-Gregory by the Rev. John Molyneaux, then P. 
P. of Castlegregory. 

Tenant League. — This league was organized in 1850. 
On the 4th of July, 1851, a great meeting was held 
on the site of the Battle of the Boyne. In 1852 a 
general election took place and about fifty-eight 
leaguers were elected. However, their leaders broke 
their pledges, betrayed the Irish people, destroyed the 
party and within a few years after killed themselves. 
A branch of this league was established in Dingle. 

causing death on the ocean, of innocent people. Hatred for the people 
of the nations at war with each other, will live in Europe for the next 
generation. The slaughter of human beings, now going on, is shocking. 
It is clearly against the mandate of God, reason and common sense. 
Civilization is trampled on; barbarism is substituted; bauds of legalized 
murderers sit in gilt chambers, drinking wine bought with the blood 
of their countrymen in the trenches. They fill their pockets with gold, 
make their homes comfortable, while their neighbours hearts are sad, 
their hearths cold, their pockets empty and their sons and relatives 
slaughtered in the battle fields. I honestly believe that it is much 
nobler to die in thoasands in the cause of humanity and freedom than to 
draw a single sword in this disgraceful war. You leaders of destruc- 
tion and legalized criminals in power, remember Grod's commandment — 
"Thou Shalt not kill." 

Murder, no matter whether judicial, legalized or church sanctioned, 
will still remain murder, and will continue to cry to heaven for ven- 
geance. "To-day thou art," great and mighty men; "to-morrow thou 
art not" — yes, a cold lump of clay with the skeletons of murdered men, 

57 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



(See the Pope's Brass Band, also Supplementary 
History of the County Kerry, for more particulars.) 

Thierna-Duhh's Raid, or the Black Barl's Raid. — 
This was applied to the Earl of Ormond, who was 
Lord Governor of Munster. During the Great Des- 
mond Wars, in 1580, he converted the whole barony 
of Corkaguiny into one great slaughter-house. He 
went to oppose the Spaniards, then with a Pope's ban- 
ner, at Fort-del-Ore, in Smerwick Harbor, and also 
to capture the 15th Earl of Desmond, a Catholic, be- 
cause the latter was suspected of favoring his cousins 
in a rebellion against the British crown, and Ormond 
was anxious to possess Desmond's confiscated estates. 
At Tralee, Ormond, the Black Earl, divided his forces 
into three divisions, and from thence marched west- 
ward towards Dingle, through Slieve-Mish. In this 
journey the English soldiers slaughtered every man, 
woman and child they met. At Standbally, they tossed 
the children for pastime from pike to pike and next 
stabbed to death the feeble mothers. Father Dominick 
O'Daly calls it "Cooling their impious thirst with the 
blood of Catholics." Classing Father O'Daly as a sup- 
porter of the Desmonds and rejecting his evidence 
and taking their own evidence, the author finds that in 
the commander's letters to Queen Elizabeth they prom- 
ised "If God will give us bread, we doubt not but to 

the tears of widows and the crying orphans you caused, standing before 
you. You may be sure a just Grod will not be fooled by the arguments 
of cunning counselors, judges, ministers, priests, bishops or pious frauds, 
who may be hired or engaged to bring their country's youth to the 
slaughter house. 

God protect the children of Erin from being drawn in amongst those 
mad dogs. Those who do the fighting ought to ask themselves what 
are their interests in the war, and what is the price agreed upon to be 
paid before they are thrown to the wolf-dogs. 

GOD SAVE IRELAND. 

Vfturs, etc., 

P. M. FOLEY. 

58 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



make as bare a country as ever a Spaniard put a foot 
on," meaning the Dingle peninsula. (Pehalm's Letters 
to Queen Elizabeth.) "non was spared the toddling 
child, the feeble old man, the blind, the lame, the idiot, 
the strong man and the weak shepherd." As the sol- 
diers of Queen Elizabeth entered a village they had 
the laggards set on fire. Mothers clasping their babies 
together with the dwellers were surrounded and driven 
into the flames or cut off with the sword. The Eng- 
lish soldiers were hunting defenseless poor people for 
pleasure. The only way to receive pardon was to 
bring the bleeding head of one of their countrymen 
and throw it at the head of an English commander in 
order to sow hatred for one another amongst the Irish. 
This wicked journey of the Earl of Ormond, such 
was the blight that it brought on the homes of every- 
body that it left a memory everywhere through which 
he passed, which can never fade while a Father can 
speak to a son. The soldiers under Ormond, like 
ravenous beasts, having once tasted human blood, 
could not quench their craving for slaughter. Young 
women, who refused to be outraged were hanged from 
trees by the hair of their heads. When they could not 
subdue men they turned their weapons against women 
and children. 

''His hosts are all gather'd, his cordon is set, 
Strong and close wove the meshes — wide stretches 
the net, 

As it sweeps the doom'd district, its progress thus 
trace'd. 

All before as a garden — behind as a waste. 

59 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



Their course is unsparing and searching as fire, 
Leaves not sheaf in the barn, nor hoof in the byre, 
While hymning their triumph, in concert combined, 
The wild wail of women, with the lowing of kine. 
The raid is accomplished — the war waves roll back. 
Smoke, ember, and bloodprints are left on the track. 
And long the scared mother, her infant will tame, 
With the terrors attached to the Thierna-Duhhs' name. 

— Four verses of twenty published in the Kerry 
Magazine, a publication under the control of a Pro- 
testant minister. 

Spencer the poet described the people "as emerging 
like ghouls to feed on corpse, carrion and grass." "All 
such people as the met they did without mercie putte 
to the sworde By this means the whole countrie hav- 
ing no cattel nor kine left they were driven to such 
extremities for want of vittels they were either to die 
or perish in the famine or to die under the sword." — 
The Black Earl's Raid on Corkaguiny in 1580 in 
Hooker's Chronicle A. D. 1580. 

(The Burning of Dingle, Lord Gray Slaughter at 
Fort-del-Ore and the torture of Kerry martyrs and 
other subjects are lost in the Dublin fire.) 

Before the Fitzmaurices arrived in Dingle, or Fort- 
del-Ore, three persons landed in Dingle off Spanish 
ships. They were seized by government spies, and 
first taken before the Earl of Desmond. The vain 
creature ordered them to be taken before the authori- 
ties in Limerick. Two persons turned out to be Dr. 
Patrick O'Haly, Bishop of Mayo, and Father Corne- 
lous O'Rourke. To extract a confession the English 
had them tortured. When this failed they were 

60 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



hanged to a tree and used as targets by the soldiers. 
Desmond, in his pretentions of loyalty, took credit for 
this act. 

The reader is referred to the following Protestant 
authorities: Hooker's Chronicle, 1590, Smith's His- 
tory of Kerry, Pelham's Letters and the State Papers 
from 1579 to 1585. 

Thomas-An Aehig. — Parson Moriarty, late of Mill- 
street, County Cork, a native of the Dingle District, 
was so-called because in his writings addressed to out- 
siders he placed under false colors the religious prac- 
tices of his Catholic neighbors, and manufactured 
crimes on paper out of trifles. 

(See my book on the Skellig, Blasket Islands and 
the West of Dingle for the state of religion in those 
parts during the Souper Campaign.) 

Tithes. — ^This was a tax of one-tenth of the produce 
or its value authorized by law to be paid for the sup- 
port of the clergy and the Church of England. Be- 
cause the Church of England was not the church of 
the people of Ireland, the payment of tithes by Roman 
Catholics caused famines and was resisted with blood- 
shed. Often a poor man's cow was seized in our parts 
and sold for eight shillings (less than two dollars) to 
satisfy the tithes. The case was still worse when he 
did not belong to that church for which he had to 
pay. A short time ago the tithes were transferred 
from the tenants to the landlords, but the landlords 
saddled them on to the tenants again by increasing 
their rents.* 

♦Parnell and the Land League put a stop to landlords increasing 
tenants' rents above tlie fair value of the land. 

61 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



It appears payment of tithes to Pagan priests ex- 
isted long before the Christian era. Until the English 
introduced their system into Ireland, the Irish Catholic 
clergy were content with a voluntary offering, mostly 
in kind. 

Tithes Artificial Famine. — This famine started in 
the winter of 1739 and ended in 1748. The start of it 
was caused by a frost which penetrated very deep into 
the ground, destroying potatoes. In an effort to 
escape payment of tithes to ministers of the estab- 
lished church, people sowed only as much potatoes 
and grain crops as were absolutely necessary. A 
dreadful famine came. Black '46 and '47 were no 
comparison to the famine which ended in 1748. 

(See Supplementary History, Co. Kerry-Corka- 
guiny.) 

Treaty of Limerick. — The Treaty of Limerick was 
made on the 3rd of October, 1691, between King Wil- 
liam's army (English), and the Irish, on the fall of 
Limerick and Atlone. By the articles of tjie treaty, full 
religious liberty and the exercise of their trades, pro- 
fessions and callings were guaranteed by the English 
to the Irish Catholics. The Irish soldiers sailed away 
to France. Immediately England broke every article 
of the treaty and for religious liberty gave Penal Laws 
allowing no man to live in Ireland, possess property, 
exercise a trade or profession, if he was a Catholic. 

Turn Coats. — Persons who changed their religion 
for lucre during the Souper Campaign were called 
"Turn Coats" by their Catholic neighbors. 

United Irishmen. — The Society of United Irishmen 
was founded by T. W. Tone, a Protestant His object 
was to unite Protestants and Catholics of the North 

62 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



and South to join hands for the freedom of Ireland. 
The United Irishmen rebelled against the English in 
1798. 

Wicker Baskets. — Carrying loads on horseback by 
means of wicker baskets suspended on both sides of 
the horse is now almost everywhere out of practice. 
I remember clearly when the first common cart entered 
the villages of Ballynalockon, Cloghane, and places in 
Dunquin Parish. 

White Boys. — These were a body of young men 
who appeared in many places in Munster between 
1761 and 1763. The reason they were called White 
Boys was because they wore white linen frocks and 
shirts over their coats. They openly resisted the 
enclosure of commons and the compulsory payment 
of excessive tithes levied on Roman Catholics for the 
support of ministers, wardens, preachers and the up- 
keep of Protestant churches. Because the tax was 
raised chiefly on tillage lands, consequently it forced 
the farmers to sow very little potatoes and let their 
lands for grazing. The horrors of the artificial 
famines created by the tithes between 1739 and 1748 
when mothers devoured their own children and chil- 
dren ate their dead parents was fresh in the memory 
of the people. Then the Protestant Church of Ireland 
v/as not the church of the people. In one of the White 
Boy uprisings, by hamstringing and like methods they 
killed and destroyed cattle in thousands making certain 
that if a potato famine existed that year there would 
be plenty of meat to prevent starvation. In this great 
cattle slaughter farmers' sons, unknown to their 
fathers, took the lead in maiming their own cattle. At 
Ballynalackon in the Parish of Cloghane, is a place 

63 



HISTORY OF IRELAND 



called Cnockane-na-houchaelee-hawna, where local 
White Boys of that place assembled. The White Boys 
were suppressed by military force and the ringleaders 
hanged. 

Wild Geese. — These were young Irish immigrants 
who in the 18th Century went to France ; there many 
of them joined the Irish Brigade in the service of 
France. In the Battle of Fontenoy they trampled the 
British flag in the dust and swept before them in the 
wildest rout England's columns of reserves to the war 
cry of "Revenge ! Remember Limerick ! ! Dash down 
the Sassenach!!!" Immediately after that England 
cancelled some of her Penal Laws. 

Many persons from the Dingle Peninsula about this 
time went as "Wild Geese" and settled in France 

Wreck of the ''Port-Yorack." — This Glasgow iron- 
clad barque was wrecked in Brandon Bay on the 29th 
of January, 1894, and all the crew of twenty-one 
drowned. The vessel was laden with copper ore. On 
inquiry it was found that the barque was insufficiently 
manned, badly provisioned and the crew suffered great 
hardships during the voyage, especially returning 
from South America. The owner was fined £70. 



Penianism. — This was a secret society formed for 
the purpose of establishing an Irish Republican Broth- 
erhood and severing all connection with the British 
crown. James Stephens was the leader and supreme 
chief of the Fenian revolutionary movement. It went 
as far as to decree a republic established. It destroyed 
some of the best regiments in the British army and 
extended to the navy, as well as to parts of France, 
America and England. The Fenians took the field 

64 



AND HISTORICAL ALLUSIONS 



in Cahirsciveen in February, 1867, and in the counties 
of Cork, Limerick, Clare, Waterford and Tipperary, 
Dublin and South on the 5th of March following. 
This revolution did not succeed in its purpose. 



65 



(^i5S3) 



Curious 
Customs 



©$0^) 



PREFACE. 

THIS little hand book deals with the curious cus- 
toms and traditions, chiefly in West Kerry, in 
common with other parts of Ireland. It is the 
fourth book issued by the author on Corkaguiny, of 
a series designated to present to the reader all essential 
historical, curious customs, and traditional informa- 
tion, relating to the County of Kerry. 

In undertaking the toils of this particular volume, 
the principal object the writer has in view is first and 
foremost to destroy the hatcheries of all objectionable 
remains of foreign superstitions, customs, fraudulent 
practices, and like diseases imposed upon us, and 
which may still be found here and there lingering in 
the district. By discriminating between truth and 
falsehood, giving reason and common sense for what 
is nonsensical and discreditable, the author expects to 
weed out of the minds of the future manhood of this 
locality the superstitious poison of foreign countries, 
handed down to us through ''wise, sensible and truth- 
ful" old women, and instead thereof he is endeavoring 
to kindle in the breast of every young man the spirit 
of being reasonably fearless in supernatural affairs, 
self-reliant, careful, truthful and just in other matters. 

The second aim of the author is to record a few of 
the most important curious customs and traditions of 
the people in the past. This is done both for the 
amusement and the information of the coming genera- 
tion. However, it is well to remember that this is not 
a complete list. The author left behind him sufficient 
materials for others to follow on the trail which he is 
the first to "blaze" in those parts. 

69 



TRADITIONS OF IRELAND 



Writers and tourists visiting West Kerry and read- 
ing this book, might be incHned to go away under the 
impression that the people of Corkaguiny are excep- 
tionally superstitious and peculiar, as compared with 
those of other portions of the United Kingdom and 
the world. If we will but calmly examine the records 
and customs of the world, we will at the first glance 
see that even in our darkest hour we were far in ad- 
vance of many of them in that respect. About the 
Thirteenth or Fourteenth Century, superstitions began 
to creep in amongst C!hristians. They increased in 
many forms immediately. In Ireland slight traces of 
the old Pagan superstitions lingered amongst the peo- 
ple, but between 1580 and 1736 in England, no less 
than thirty thousand persons were publicly hanged for 
being witches, and most of the poor innocent creatures 
were burned at the stake. The most learned judges 
of the English courts declared from their benches that 
witchcraft existed, and that persons in one league with 
the devil could raise storms, destroy life and property, 
by no further act than taking off their stockings and 
steeping them in soap and water. They even went so 
far as to force their victims to believe and confess that 
they were witches. Only that England was so much 
engaged in hounding to death the Catholic priests, 
Heaven knows how many more would have fallen. 

In 1716 it appears one Mrs. Hicks and her little 
daughter were hanged for selling their souls to the 
devil, and their accusers charged them with raising 
a storm by soaking stockings in a lather of soap. 

Scotland was buried in superstition. Calvin and 
Luther, both the great heads of the Protestant Refor- 
mation, believed in witchcraft, and the King of Scot- 

70 



AND CURIOUS CUSTOMS 



land, when he ascended the throne of England, by 
tongue, pen and fire, advocated the rack for the 
witches. 

I believe Italy, Spain and France, three Catholic 
countries, were the first to reject witchcraft. Ger- 
many, although at first very slow to believe in witch- 
craft, burned them by the thousands, and that in a 
most barbarous manner. The Puritan fathers of New 
England had the hangman's rope pretty busy in 
Boston Common with the witches of Salem, Massa- 
chusetts, and the Quakers of other parts of the State. 
If a man did not believe in witches, he was classed 
worse than a heretic. 

Public execution of witches in England was stopped 
by law, I believe about the year 1736. During all 
that time Ireland was trampled under the heels of 
superstitions. Anglo-Norman lords were a party to 
the laws which caused so much innocent blood to flow 
as divine perfume from 1600 to 1736, in cases of 
witchcraft and "Papists," both in England and her 
colonies. Naturally, their castles in Ireland had the 
foul air of superstition and adoration about them. In 
Ireland they suppressed education, and tried to make 
themselves the only lords which the people had to 
serve and adore on earth or in heaven. They abused 
their powers, and the Irish people at last refused to 
have those false Gods, and now they are almost driven 
out of the country 

Irishmen were not ever very much inclined to 
marry their daughters to those degenerated "false 
gods,'' bearing a British or foreign title. They usually 
left such honors to the ladies of other countries, many 
of the latter unfortunate vain-minded creatures after- 

71 



TRADITIONS OF IRELAND 



wards returning to their native lands bringing, in ad- 
dition to a costly bought title, a decree of divorce. 
It ought to be remembered that even today, notwith- 
standing England's proud boast of democracy, it is 
probably the worst country in the world for rank, title 
and blue-blood lords — one class looking down with 
contempt on the other. In the House of Lords you 
have dukes, marquises, earls, viscounts, bishops and 
barons. They cannot understand that "all men were 
created equal," only when they want the common 
people to fight their battles. 

Notwithstanding the isolated and backward state 
of Ireland under alien rule, yet as far as the author 
can ascertain the Irish people never demanded a single 
life to be sacrificed in cases of witchcraft, and if any 
individual fell, it was at the command of the foreigner 
and to satisfy his craving for blood and sacrifice. 
Ireland appears to be much cleaner from superstition 
than her neighbors in the sixteenth, seventeenth and 
eighteenth centuries of the Christian era. 

The writer is not finding fault with the people of 
those countries which honestly believed in the exist- 
ence of witches, but he is protesting against those who 
leave the very dens of superstition and come to Ire- 
land to magnify trifles, at the same time pretending 
that they have none of their own. Every country has 
had people some of whom are more or less super- 
stitious. It is not even confined to any one religion. 
In many houses in America for good luck you will 
find the horseshoe nailed inside over the door. There 
are locomotive engineers in the New England States 
who will not very willingly take out a train engine 
bearing the number "thirteen." Persons traveling with 

72 



AND CURIOUS CUSTOMS 



me refused to sleep in the next vacant room to me in 
Seattle, Washington, because the number of it was 
"thirteen." Among the first who followed the trail 
of the "forty-niners" to California, were persons who 
would not start on any part of their journey on a 
Friday, and through superstition carried the feet of 
rabbits with them in their pockets. 

A lady in one of the New England States in the 
East, who proudly boasted of her forefathers crossing 
the Atlantic in the "Mayflower," objected in my pres- 
ence to rocking an empty cradle because it would bring 
misfortune to the house. 

As late as December, 1910, I saw persons within 
Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 
watching patiently for the resurrection of Mrs. Eddy 
Baker, the head of Christian Science. These and many 
of her followers firmly believed she would reappear 
and deliver a message from the dead to the living. 
However, the learned lady is still sleeping in silence. 
What would the English press say if this happened 
in Ireland? 

With regard to Irish kings, they were not inferior 
to the latter-day kings of England. King John of 
England in 1204 imprisoned Jews, plucked out their 
teeth and eyes and slaughtered them. He was excom- 
municated by the Pope. King Henry VIII. murdered 
four of his wives and ripped one of them open on 
child's birth to have a son succeed him to the throne. 
Englishmen ought to read the sad story of the Tower 
of London before opening their lips on ancient Irish 
kings. 

Then, as to morals, the author believes Ireland will 
be found as clean from the scarlet plague of the "red- 

73 



TRADITIONS OF IRELAND 



light district" as any country in the world. Look at 
the British soldiers who boasted that they were going 
to "defend the Catholic nuns in Belgium from the 
Huns," destroying the women of their own land by the 
thousands before leaving for the front! 

Now, as to curious customs, you will find boys and 
girls "courting" in Ireland, "bundling" in Wales, 
"spooning" until midnight in the United States, and 
for three long years a young man with window bars 
between him and his sweetheart is "playing the bear" 
in Mexico, before he is admitted into her room, even 
in presence of members of her family. In England, 
every third county has had a different custom, and 
many of them are considered pretty objectionable. 

The original intention of the author was to have 
his work printed in Ireland, for Irish readers, but that 
horrible war in Europe, which has caused the most 
widespread pain, misery and suffering ever inflicted 
upon the human race, made him change his plans, and 
print the book in the United States, but the cost will 
he much more and the price of each copy proportion- 
ately higher. 

By the campfires of California, and in the sandy 
desert of Nevada, over five thousand miles away from 
his native land, this book has been written by the 
author during his spare hours. Therefore, the writer 
knows that faults will be found with the work, and 
errors discovered therein. However, he is confident 
that it is free from serious errors. Apart from the 
honest critic, of course, there will appear the natural- 
born "fault-finder." To men of the latter disposition 
the writer has no apology to offer, and it is his in- 
tention to take no notice of anything said or written 

74 



AND CURIOUS CUSTOMS 



by such persons, further than to express his regret 
that they did not undertake the work themselves, and, 
whenever his rights shall expire, they will have an 
opportunity to improve, alter, or amend his plans — 
probably about forty-four years' time. 

This work is not expected to satisfy all classes. The 
author has no intention whatsoever of giving offense 
to any person, religion, race or nationality, but it is 
to be feared that in his effort to establish truth and 
equity passages may appear herein which will displease 
some individuals. If so, the writer very much regrets 
it, but at the same time the reader should remember 
that it is his duty to record those regrettable events 
and set them in a true light for the judges of the 
future world. 

In style and arrangement of this book there is a 
slight departure from the plans of his previous works, 
namely, that each subject set forth herein will be found 
in alphabetical order. This he trusts will prove sat- 
isfactory to the reader. 

AUTHOR. 

Dated in the State of Nevada, this 4th day of July, 
1915. 



Brill, thotigh far from your mountains now, with 
me, you are still Achusla Geal Machree. 



75 



TRADITIONS OP IRELAND 



All Pools' Day.— This falls on the first of April, 
when it is customary to play tricks upon each other. 
The young people find great diversion in sending per- 
sons on errands which end in disappointment for the 
sendee and merriment for the sender, the laugh at all 
times being in proportion to the trouble given. 

Among some of the tricks played was at a very early 
hour in the morning to knock at a window and call 
a farmer out of bed, telling him that cattle had de- 
stroyed his potatoes and corn fields. He would run 
with all his might, sometimes half undressed, to find 
no cattle before him. 

Pieces of paper would be pinned onto the tails of a 
coat and valuable looking packages containing a stone 
or a piece of iron would be left in the track of a 
passerby so that if he kicked it he would remember it. 
Sometimes a stiff purse would be placed on the road 
or footpath with a string attached to it, and it would 
be jerked away by those hiding behind a fence, gate 
or doorway when the fool would be in the act of 
grasping for it. Probably this custom originated in 
France and was borrowed by England, to whom we 
are indebted for it. 

Ancient Crossroads and Burial Customs. — At fu- 
nerals to the west of Dingle, a custom prevails of 
lowering the coffin containing the remains at certain 
ancient crossroads and praying for the dead. This is 
not practiced on the Castle Gregory side of Brandon 
Mountain, but there, on lowering the coffin into the 
grave, the nails are drawn from the cover of the 
coffin. 

76 



AND CURIOUS CUSTOMS 



The custom of lowering the coffin at crossroads is a 
very ancient one, not alone in the Dingle district, but 
in other countries outside of Ireland. The origin of 
it was due to persons who committed suicide not al- 
lowed to be interred in consecrated ground, were 
buried upon the nearest crossroad thereto, i. e., at the 
junction of four roads. "^ Whenever a funeral passed 
by, the corpse was lowered, people knelt and prayed 
for the soul of the persons buried at the crossroads. 

In the course of time the custom of burying dead 
bodies on the crossroads went out of practice, and the 
names of the persons buried there were forgotten, but 
the habit of lowering the dead body continued and 
a prayer was offered to God for both those buried on 
the crossroads and also for the soul of the person 
whose funeral then took place. Then when the penal 
laws were enforced, with military in Dingle, the 
religious rites which should be said at the graveside 
for the deceased were recited at the old crossroads.* 
Praying for the dead at ancient crossroads nearest the 
graveyards, therefore, is an act of piety and charity 
of an old standing. 



*In old Mexico a large wooden cross marks the spot where murders 
have taken place. On my way over the mountains and grand canyons 
between Beristan (Carman) and Tepexico, In the State of Pueblo, I 
saw houses very often having two and three crosses near them, and 
also that the gable ends of their houses were crowned with one or 
more crosses. Having heard a good deal of talk about the bandits 
and murders of that part of the country through which I was passing, I 
asked if all those crosses which I saw represented murders only. I was 
informed by the Indians, and Mexicans themselves, that it was for a long 
time the custom to erect crosses where sudden deaths occurred from other 
causes, such as suicides, man or woman devoured by a wild beast, or the 
like, as well as in cases of murder and manslaughter. Furthermore, they 
told me (through an Italian as interpreter) that the crosses upon so many 
Indian houses were an exhibition of their attachment to the cross of 
Christ. I found Pueblo a strong Catholic State, and the crosses are put 
standing, as near qs circumstances will permit, to where the murdered 

77 



TRADITIONS OF IRELAND 



Ancient National Dances. — The most common 
dances* in our locality were jigs, reels, hornpipe and 
country dance, or Reencafadah. These were followed 
by a form of dance called ''sets," and the German 
"waltz" was transmitted to us by the English. 
Movable platforms for dancing upon them were 
placed on the country crossroads, and boys and girls 
danced in the open air in the afternoons on Sundays. 
The clergy took a dislike to all dances, with the result 
that open-air dancing was almost suppressed, but of 
recent years it was revived by the Gaelic League. 

Ardnane. — Carding, spinning and story telling by 
night is now gone out of fashion — newspapers are 
driving away the latter. 

Banshee., — This is supposed to be a fairy visitant in 
the shape of an old woman whose wailing around the 
home of a sick person foretold death. Of course, it 
is superstition to think that an old woman dead and 
gone will return from the grave wailing or calling for 
her victim, or carry off a member of any family. 

♦Dancing masters between 1775 and 1780 were paid sixpence (twelve 
cents) a quarter with meals for teaching dancing to a whole family. 
However, a dancing master's quarter was much less than three months. 

man expired, and if possible in view of persons passing by as an appeal 
to the traveler to pray for the soul of the person or persons who fell 
there. 

Amongst other curious customs practiced by those queer people the 
following were impressed on my memory: That Mexico City has funeral 
street cars, which I have not seen In any other part of the world. To 
understand my point more clearly, the electric street cars running on 
rails with an electric car as a hearse, pick up the dead bodies and carry 
them to the graveyard or cemetery. Here the coffin is unlocked and 
the corpse must be examined and clearly identified to the complete sat- 
isfaction of the caretaker, after which the coffin is again locked and 
the corpse buried in a grave or tomb leased for seven years. At the end 
of seven years or thereabouts, out of the tomb or grave the remains 
must go unless the lease is renewed or the grave bought forever at an 
enormous sum of about $400. 

As I had not sufficient command of the Spanish language to enable 
me to put the question direct to the natives and obtaiq, information from 
their lips without the assistance of an interpreter, the figures set down 



AND CURIOUS CUSTOMS 



Nevertheless, there must be something of an unknown 
nature existing in the shape of a wireless telephone, 
electric feeling or otherwise in the blood, flesh or 
nature of certain Celtic families whereby some relative 
of a sudden feels, pictures and imagines death, trouble 
or misfortune approaching without apparently any 
means of knowing it at the time. I hope science will 
soon more clearly solve the cause of this and thereby 
strip off all superstition and uncertainty. 

Begrudging. — Persons admiring beasts or individu- 
als and praising them without saying ''God bless 
them," if they died or became sick the blame would 
be laid onto them, and some would say such a person 
possessed an "evil eye" and his visits thereafter would 
not be very desirable. However, this superstition can 
be found as bad in other countries. 

Bellman. — The bellman with his hand-bell still 
survives in Dingle. He usually announces sales by 
public auction. Missing or impounded cattle, also 
property lost or found, money lost about thirty-three 
years ago and found by another, v\^ere nearly always 
recovered by giving a shilling or one shilling and six- 
pence to the bellman. I am sure this was due to the 
moral influence of the clergy over the people. 

for me as the prices of a grave are so much at variance, as well as the 
form of procedure in evicting a dead man from his grave in Mexico, that 
I leave that part of the matter to abler authorities. 

In connection with the wakes of their dead, in our camps I noticed 
that they did drink a milk-like liquid called "pulgue," extracted from 
the mague or century plant. It has the taste, color and appearance of 
milk, but it is so intoxicating that if a person should drink any large 
quantity of it he would become so drunk and helpless that a stranger 
would believe he was dead and would never wake again. At the few 
wakes that came under my notice, the Mexicans were very orderly and 
showed every mark of respect to the dead. I believe there were no pipes 
or tobacco at those wakes, or if there were any they escaped my notice. 
At San Francisco, California, the Chinese put food on their burial plots 
for their dead, but the "hoboes" visiting that city steal the food and 
eat it as often as they can get at it. 

79 



TRADITIONS OF IRELAND 



The most notable bellman at the end of the last 
century was Markim. He was succeeded by Michael 
O'Sullivan. 

Blind Fiddlers and Piute Players. — The custom of 
blind fiddlers and flute players, accompanied by mem- 
bers of their families, going on a quarterly circuit 
among the villages has now fallen into disuse. For- 
merly, when one of them entered the village he would 
be entertained, given two or three nights' lodging and 
a collection started for him. The boys and girls of 
the surrounding villages would assemble and these 
would be dancing until cock-crow in the morning. 

Boats and Canoes Haunted and Made Useless. — -A 
great trick to make a boat or canoe useless was to 
pretend to see it on sea with some mysterious persons 
in it, and that on approaching the boat or canoe for 
the purpose of speaking to its occupants, they disap- 
peared suddenly as if the "earth, sky or sea swallowed 
them." If the crew were at home and not fishing that 
night, and the tale was told by a respectable person 
or corroborated by one who was not a notorious liar 
no person would venture into the boat or canoe forever 
after. 

One-third of these visions were imaginary; two- 
thirds were founded by jealous neighbors and mali- 
cious persons who saw themselves outstripped by the 
success of some local families or crew as fishermen, 
consequently this superstition more rapidly died out. 

Bodach. — This is represented by parents to children 
as the figure of an old beggar-man, at night looking 
through windows and making horrible faces against 
panes of glass, carrying a big sack and prepared to 
take with him children who he might find crying with- 



AND CURIOUS CUSTOMS 



out cause or wandering out into undesirable places in 
the dark. 

Children ought to be told the truth, namely, that 
faces made against the windows are done by members 
of the family in order to frighten them. These false 
impressions created in the minds of innocent children 
at such an early age make their lives so miserable to 
them in after years that they imagine every bush that 
shakes after dark is a ghost or a fairy. 

Bone Fires. — The custom of lighting bone fires on 
St. John's Eve is very much on the decline in this 
peninsula. In Castle Gregory boys and girls used to 
remain awake all night, dancing around them for 
amusement. Bone fire is said to be derived from the 
Canduaoin "baun fire," a beacon fire. A bone fire 
might mean a fire of bones, a fire of corpse, a funeral 
pile or a fire for destroying heretics, but whatever be 
the origin of it, one thing is certain, that bone fires 
existed long before the dawn of Christianity. 

Bone Setters. — These were persons who made it a 
practice to set broken bones, but the dispensary doctor 
quickly sent them out of business, 

Brack-an-Tohar. — All the holy wells in the country 
are supposed to have enchanted fish which never 
grew larger or smaller, and some believed that water 
containing the fish, if taken from the well, would 
never heat nor boil until both water and fish were 
returned. People of the present day treat this as 
a fish story. 

Brandon Mountain s Western Slope Held Sacred. — 
For a long time the inhabitants treated the western 
slopes of Brandon Mountain so sacred through rever- 
ence for St. Brandon and his monks as not to allow 

81 



TRADITIONS OF IRELAND 



any living animal to be killed thereon except fish 
caught in the rivulets of Feoghanagh and Shaunakyle 
and given to the poor or taken by them as charity. 
The fish taken from these streams had to be eaten at 
once and could not be kept beyond the second night 
without eating. Birds within that sacred ground were 
nearly tame and hares when pursued by the hounds 
following in their tracks, as soon as the hares crossed 
the River of Feoghanagh, the hounds were stopped by 
the hunters. Cattle, wild deer, boars and all like ani- 
mals therein were protected. I believe "Park Garrive" 
was about the last place here wherein hunting was 
strictly forbidden 

Brendon (Saint) Feast. — This was held on the 
22nd of March, but from time immemorial is gone out 
of practice. 

St. Brendon died on the 16th of May. 

Changlings. — Fairies at one time were supposed to 
steal or spirit away a fine, rosy-cheeked, healthy-look- 
ing child or young person and take him off to Teer- 
naoge, leaving a very thin, pale-faced, silent weakling 
instead of the person stolen behind them who in the 
dead of night changed into a withered crone. Medical 
science has proved this change to be done by consump- 
tion and other like causes, therefore the fairy thief is 
disappearing here faster than in other countries. 

Charms. — Not very long since, "respectable" people 
went to "wise" old women to seek foolish cures for 
sickness by means of charms. I believe I heard about 
one hundred diseases mentioned, each of which I was 
told could be cured by a charm — consumption and the 
"fallen" sickness were amongst them. Men also pre- 
tended to heal horses and cattle by charms. 

82 



AND CURIOUS CUSTOMS 



One of the most pitiable cases to come under my 
notice was at Cloushguire, Castle Gregory, where an 
old man at a very early hour of the morning was 
carrying on his performance over an old horse. It 
surprised me to find in such an enlightened place as 
Castle Gregory any person guilty of such folly as to 
believe in curing ailments by charms. Corkaguiny in 
general, I believe, stands as clean from superstition 
and charms as any barony in the British Isles, judging 
by the latter actions in foreign lands. The ignorance 
and superstitions of the few now amongst us are all 
nearly melted away before the bright rays of science 
and education. 

Contracts with the Devil. — Some time ago quite a 
few were to be found who believed that noted card 
players had attained the art of winning as a result 
of a contract made by them with the devil, which 
contract was confirmed at a general meeting of the 
witches and ghosts over which the devil himself pre- 
sided and the persons signed the articles of agreement 
with their own blood. To obtain possession of the 
soul was the main object of the devil. For a wise 
spirit like ''Old Nick," he used to sometimes make 
very silly contracts. Then they thought of sleight- 
of-hand and other tricks. When the country became 
properly policed, the robbers and thieves, with the 
ghosts and devils, disappeared 

In England persons were hanged for selling their 
souls to the devil, and by virtue of the contract raised 
storms. 

Cross Thursday, or La croista na blianna. — In olden 
times people would not like to start doing anything 
on Cross Thursday, especially the grandmothers of 

83 



TRADITIONS OP IRELAND 



the present age. Carding, spinning, etc., were sure 
to be suspended. Ask them why suspend spinning, 
etc., on that day, and they would only tell you that 
it was not for them to break an old custom which was 
accompanied by an old saying that if anything was 
started on Cross Thursday it would never be com- 
pleted. 

I believe that this day must have been observed at 
some time as a holiday in Ireland. No doubt but it 
had a religious origin connecting it with the order 
given by Herod the Great to murder the children of 
Bethlehem and its coast in order to cut off Jesus, who 
was born about the same time. Jesus escaped by 
being taken by His mother into Egypt 

This day is also known as Innocents' Day. 

Death Warning. — The following were considered as 
sure warnings of impending death if any of them were 
seen or heard by a relative, namely: Dogs barking 
at the moon or the ghosts of the living ; headless coach 
approaching ; weeping of women ; the Banshee's wail ; 
sounds of a carpenter's hammer making a coffin; 
funeral processions; spots of blood on the floor, 
ground or roadway. 

Of course, there were several others, but the above 
were most commonly mentioned. 

Master Sunday Sun Dance on Master Sunday 
Morning.. — That the sun can be seen dancing in the 
heavens on Easter Sunday morning is a widespread 
superstition, more or less all around the whole globe. 

84 



AND CURIOUS CUSTOMS 



It is quite true that almost every Easter Sunday 
morning in our parts we have fine, bright sunshine, 
but this is due to the fact that at that season of the 
year everything in the ground is springing out fresh 
and green, and the warm heat of summer is approach- 
ing. When I was a little boy of about nine or ten 
years of age, I was often told that if I got up very 
early on Easter Sunday morning, I would see the sun 
dancing with a lamb, a cross, and a bird on its face. 
I did so, but of course I was disappointed. I dare 
say that many of those who were telling me then that 
I could see the sun dance on Easter Sunday thought 
Lent so dreary and long that they wished to see the 
Easter Sunday morning sun so that they could be at 
liberty to dance. Eggs are eaten in no small quantities 
on this morning. 

On Easter Sunday dancing on the old crossroads 
called "Coughlanes" started. However, if one im- 
moral case or any immodest transaction occurred in 
a parish, it often happened that dances and dancing 
schools in the entire district were wholly suppressed 
by the word of the parish priest and the dancing 
master turned away. 

Sun dancing on Easter Sunday may be traced back 
to a heathen custom when the spectators themselves 
danced at a festival in honor of the sun after the 
vernal equinox. 

Bast em, Protestant and Catholic Winds. — A mem- 
ber of the Protestant Episcopal religion came under 

85 



TRADITIONS OF IRELAND 



my notice who made it a practice to remain out on 
the night of the 31st of December until New Year's 
morning that he might see with his own eyes if the 
wind was favorable to the Protestants. If at mid- 
night it blew from the east, it would indicate to him 
that the Protestants would be very prosperous that 
year, but if it blew from any other direction he would 
become restless and uneasy. Should it happen to blow 
from the west, he would express such words as "God 
help us poor Protestants ; everything is going against 
us and in the way of the Roman Catholics this year." 
I have no doubt but some Catholics might then be 
found possessed of a like superstition. 

Fallen Angels., — These were supposed to be in the 
air, in the house, and everywhere, and had the power 
"of good and evil." They could use a bush for a horse 
and ride all over the country. As they were consid- 
ered pretty active gentlemen by night for hurling per- 
sons, standing in their way was not always safe. If 
they gave you a blow of their hurley on the head, you 
would not know what happened to you. Physicians 
now have found a cure for nearly all diseases, con- 
sequently such ignorance quickly disappeared. 

Funeral Bells. — The custom of tolling bells slowly 
and solemnly three times for funerals is carried on in 
Dingle both in the Catholic and Protestant churches.* 
The ringing of a hand bell through the streets of 

*The custom of hanging bells to horses, cattle, sheep and goats is 
very common in the Kepublic of Old Mexico, also in the States of Nevada 
and California in the United States. Without those bells goats, sheep 
and cattle could not be located amongst the thick brush. 

86 



AND CURIOUS CUSTOMS 



Dingle to summon the people to mass is many years 
gone out of practice. 

Gates of Glory. — These are Gallauns standing at 
Milltown, Dingle. Probably they were first erected 
as landmarks. At a later period they served another 
purpose. Persons amenable to the town court for 
certain acts, such as debts and the like, were con- 
sidered outside its jurisdiction when beyond those 
stones or landmarks. I was told that it often hap- 
pened orders were obtained against deceased persons 
who owed money and the body arrested and held with- 
out burial up to, but not exceeding, nine days, unless 
some friend paid the debt. However, if the corpse 
escaped beyond the ''Gates of Glory" the court was 
unable to follow it and those in the funeral could stone 
the bailiff. Consequently those stones were designated 
the Gates of Glory. 

Ghosts' Spirits Cannot Cross Running Water. — The 
reasons for persons believing that a ghost or a fairy 
will not follow them through any river or stream 
which is not bridged over or has no stepping stones 
is because when they with fear suddenly plunge into 
a deep hole in a river the cold water gives the nerves 
such a shock that it drives away all terror. If a man 
was hounded by an enemy and believed his life was 
in danger, he would quickly forget the ghosts and 
even hide in a graveyard if he thought that by so 
doing he would escape from his pursuer. 

Glas-Guineach.- — This cow was remarkable for 
giving a large quantity of milk. She belonged to the 
monks then residing at Kilmalckedor, was well fed 

87 



TRADITIONS OF IRELAND 



and grazed upon the best patches of sweet pasture in 
the district. A thief attempted to steal her, but was 
captured in the act. To make an example of him, his 
finger prints and the impression of the cow's hoofs 
for future reference and to warn the people of the 
district to be aware of him were cut or set into the 
stones by some natural art touching finger prints then 
known to those monks. The stories of the Glas- 
Guinach are numerous and interesting. Children in- 
clined to steal were reminded of what happened to the 
thief who stole the monk's cow. 

Gospels. — These are received from a priest, sewn 
into a piece of cloth, worn on necks of some children. 

Haunted Houses.. — Three houses in the whole 
barony of Corkaguiny are all I can discover to have 
the reputation of being haunted now. Thieves, robbers 
and persons of fraudulent and dishonest intentions 
manufactured ghosts and imposed them on their inno- 
cent neighbors as haunting certain places, while in 
other cases where an unnatural death took place, such 
as murder, suicide or the like, a fear would sieze the 
person finding the corpse or one hearing about it. 
Children seeing white boys assembled by night in open 
places and not knowing who they were prolonged the 
belief in the ghosts and fairies. 

Headless Coach Stories. — These are wicked lies 
which were told on winter nights at the firesides by 
old people and imposed upon children as real truth. 
To make it more serious, the storyteller would put 
on a long, solemn face and speak in whispers. He 
would start and describe in detail the make, appear- 
ance and movements of the headless coach, thereby 
terrorizing the very lives in us children, so much 

88 



AND CURIOUS CUSTOMS 



SO that we would not willingly come home after dark 
unless accompanied by another. There never was such 
a thing as a headless coach in our parts, and some old 
people there are guilty of a very serious crime in poi- 
soning and destroying the minds of young children 
with such horrid tales. 

Hold Out the Hand and Split the Difference. — In 
selling or buying horses, cattle, sheep and hogs at 
fairs and markets a peculiar custom prevails. When 
the buyer and seller are within a few shillings of a 
bargain a friendly neighbor asks them to "split the 
difference" and places their hands together. Another 
habit is for a buyer, when making an offer which he 
expects will be accepted by the seller, to ask the seller 
to open his hand. This being done, he slaps the open 
hand in token of an agreement as he makes what he 
pretends to be his last bid. 

Holy Water Bottles in Canoes. — There is a custom 
among fishermen to the west of Dingle of carrying 
very small bottles containing holy water tightly corked 
and fastened by a strong string to their canoes when 
going to sea. 

Holy Wells (See "His. Co. Kerry"— Corkaguiny). 
Pilgrims to holy wells leave rags, copper coins and 
other quite valueless tokens behind them in paying 
rounds, at Brandon Mountain shrine and other like 
places. 

Horn Dance. — This peculiar dance was introduced 
into these parts by persons of foreign descent in gen- 
tlemen's houses, and it disappeared with them. In 
dancing, they wore horns and had bells on their feet. 

Horseshoe Nailed Over the Door. — This class of 
superstition I find more common in the United States 

S9 



TRADITIONS OF IRELAND 



of America than elsewhere. Of course, it is brought 
by Europeans into the country, chiefly by Jews. 

Hurley. — In former times this was considered a 
very fine play in those parts but now is altogether 
extinct. Two men courting the same girl often chal- 
lenged each other to a hurling match in front of the 
girl, and the man successful claimed her affection. 

/ Usga Bagha, i. e., the Water of Life.^ — This was 
the name applied to whisky. A custom of hanging 
a bush, a jug and a glass in front of a house having 
spirits for sale, and such notices as refreshments for 
man and beast, disappeared with the enforcement of 
the license laws and were replaced by the show card. 

Judges Bringing Bad Weather to Kerry. — Many 
persons believe that the judges of the assizes in their 
circuit bring with them bad weather to the County 
of Kerry, due to so many false oaths being sworn 
before them and therefore so much wrong done in 
the name of justice. Consequently, apart from any 
other reason, their lordships are considered very un- 
desirable visitors to the county by most of the people 
outside of the legal profession. It is quite true that 
at nearly all times in the last century when the assizes 
were held in Tralee it was either raining or the sky 
was dark and gloomy and the weather bad. This 
probably was due to the season of the year in which 
the assizes were usually held. However, more no- 
ticeable was the weather on the mornings of the 
executions in Tralee Jail of persons condemned to 
death by judges and packed juries, but innocent in 
the minds of the people. 

*Wliisky is the water of death to every person. The saloonkeeper, 
or publican, who gives drink to a child or young girl under the age of 
21 years is the devil's best agent on earth. 

90 



AND CURIOUS CUSTOMS 



Lady Day. — This was the patron day of Dingle. It 
was held on the 8th of September. 

Leprachawn. — This is the name given to a shoe- 
maker appearing in several fairy tales. He is sup- 
posed to be a very rich little gentleman and a native 
of Teer-Na-Oge, who appears very often amongst 
briers, bushes and boulders. He is not more than six 
inches in height, is often dressed in a nice green coat 
ornamented with gold and silver lace, wears knee 
breeches and a red cap. They tell me he works very 
hard at mending shoes. His shelves are covered with 
stacks of gold coin, and in addition he has many 
crocks of this precious metal. While he is working 
it is very easy to steal upon him and catch him. 
I am told that whenever you lay your hands upon him 
you should sieze him quickly and, although his shrill 
screams will be heart-rending, do not loosen your 
hold, and at the same time you must not take your 
eyes off the gold, for if you do he will surely change 
it into brown leaves and pay you off with a half- 
sovereign. I fear that most of those who saw the 
Leprachawn were paid off with brown leaves. If a 
remarkably poor person became suddenly rich, and 
was anxious to keep his neighbors in the dark as to 
the source of his changed position, he was sure to tell 
them that he captured a Leprachavv^n. 

Lycanthropy. — Here is another wicked superstition, 
viz., that persons in league with the devil can assume 
other forms, such as a dog, etc. I am very glad I 
cannot now find one person to credit such tales. 

Marriages and Weddings. — Many of the peculiar 
customs attached to marriages and wedding feasts are 
slowly but surely changing for the better. Imitations 

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TRADITIONS OF IRELAND 



of the false standards of "decency" set up by the 
middlemen of the previous centuries are fast disap- 
pearing. However, the people, both in town and 
country, are still too extravagant with their marriages 
and weddings, and in some instances the marriage fees 
are unreasonably excessive when compared with the 
offering made for a like ceremony in other countries. 
Rare cases of this kind unfortunately rob the marriage 
of its sacramental appearance and bring it to the level 
of a civil contract. The practice of making a collection 
amongst the parties attending a wedding feast and 
offering it to the curate and clerk is now almost out 
of fashion. 

May Day. — The superstitions connected with May 
Day were numerous and widespread. That day people 
watched their cattle. Bad women with their wooden 
milk gallons placed tmder their aprons watched for an 
opportunity to steal upon their neighbors' cows to milk 
them. Witches were believed to go about as hares. 
These superstitions, I am glad to say, are now very 
rare. 

Mistletoe. — Kissing under the mistletoe was a cus- 
tom which is now almost dead and gone, at least in 
West Kerry. In our part of the county it was a very 
innocent amusement, and I never heard of a single 
instance in which it was abused. The custom was 
this : At Christmas a piece of mistletoe was hung up 
over the doorway leading into the kitchen or some 
other favorable place, and whenever a young girl stood 
under it a young man claimed — and nearly always 
exercised — a right to kiss the girl and pluck off a 
berry for each kiss. Sometimes in the town of Dingle 
two or three young men would stand on a street corner 

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AND CURIOUS CUSTOMS 



having a piece of mistletoe with them and would kiss 
every girl that happened to come their way. A girl 
who would make persons believe that she was running 
away trying to avoid being kissed by the boys was 
sure to be hunted until caught; then the mistletoe 
would be held over her head until she was given at 
least a half-dozen kisses by each of her captors. 

Although it is the relic of pagan days, the mistletoe 
was hung up in churches during Christmas, but be- 
cause young people, instead of praying and assisting 
properly at mass, were kissing, courting and rehears- 
ing the marriage ceremony over eligibles, thereby 
causing the whole congregation to pass from one up- 
roar of laughter into another, both the mistletoe and 
the kisses were abolished, and the holly, with its 
numerous thorns, substituted for the mistletoe, thereby 
warning them of the fact that going through marriage 
was like drawing them through a thicket of holly and 
briars, the thorns of which might pierce them to the 
quick. 

Mother Carey's Chickens or Stormy Petrels., — This 
was the term applied to flocks of small web-footed 
birds about the size of a chicken or even smaller than 
blackbirds. Their appearance is neat and they are 
always on the wing. They are found pretty numerous 
at times in the Blasket Islands and Skellig Rocks, but 
their whole time is spent on the ocean. The reason 
they are called "Mother Carey's Chickens" is because 
fishermen and local sailors say they are the first and 
most reliable birds to give sailors warning of the 
approach of a storm by rushing in flocks towards them 
whistling "Wee, wee !" But I do not know how correct 
that can be, for I find that their greatest delight is in 

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TRADITIONS OF IRELAND 



rough weather and storms. The meaning of the ex- 
pression, "Mother Carey," is said to be "Mother 
Dear," and is intended for the Virgin Mary, due to 
the fact that she was considered the patroness of 
sailors. 

In the daytime these birds never seem to swim, but 
while on the wing allow their feet to touch the water, 
and naturalists say from its walking appearance upon 
the waves like the Apostle Peter, the name "Petrel" 
was applied to them. 

Whenever superstitious sailors of other countries 
see a flock of these merry sea birds following their 
ship, they try to kill them, owing to the birds' delight 
in storms. They believe bad luck follows Jheir trail, 
that they cause storms, and they call them the "devil's 
birds," but the truth is that as they don't appear to 
dive like other sea birds they more easily pick up their 
food from the surge than in calm water. (See my 
"History of the SkelHg and Blasket Islands for an 
account of these birds.) 

Mug. — The large wooden mug, cups and gallons are 
now out of use. However, a few can still be found 
in country homes. 

Mugs. — A name given to a party of striplings who 
went around first kissing the pretty girls and making 
mouths at the coarse and older ones In course of 
time, rough and ignorant characters joined in and 
became such a nuisance that the girls protested against 
them and called them "Mugs," no doubt after the 
Muns of England, who carried on much the same 
practice with the breaking of windows, wrenching of 
knockers added. The latter too was extended to those 
parts by the rowdy element. 

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AND CURIOUS CUSTOMS 



Pagan Wells, Lises and Pairy Tales. — Lises are 
found everywhere in the barony. They were erected 
within view of each other, so that in event of an 
attack on one Hs or a fort a fire kept burning would 
be extinguished as an alarm signal. These forts are 
surrounded by the best quality of land in their imme- 
diate vicinity. Fairy tales are connected with every 
one of them. Some people frightened the lives in 
little children with fairy tales and ghost stories. 
Those stories had this much of a foundation in our 
locality: In the beginning of the Eighteenth Century 
when the British law prohibited the exportation or 
sale of wool to any other country but to themselves, 
farmers became engaged in smuggling wool to France, 
where they received as high as two shilling, sixpence 
(sixty cents) a pound from France. Cutters brought 
wines and brandies with them, which were often 
hidden in specially prepared chambers in forts, lises 
and cahirs, near the sea coast. To keep children away 
so as not to give information, they told them that the 
men seen in those forts and lises were fairies. This 
helped to prolong the life of the old tales. Every 
cave to the west of Dingle was filled with wool, trying 
to smuggle it to a convenient place for loading it into 
ships. The French pretended they were carrying from 
Ireland emigrants called the "Wild Geese," i. e., Cath- 
olics who were forbidden by law to live in Ireland. 
The magistrates who were supposed to stop it were 
engaged in this illicit trade. Amongst the most objec- 
tionable was their description of the headless coach 
leaving a burial ground going in the direction of some 
dying person and returning with its victim, the Ban- 
shee's lonely wail, the appearance of a golden-haired 

95 



TRADITIONS OF IRELAND 



woman courting with fairy pleasure some fine young 
man trying to take him into fairyland. However, 
worse still were their representations of dances at the 
ancient crossroads by young men and maidens years 
in their graves, long funeral processions of the dead 
at night through certain roads in which a living com- 
panion of the dead would pretend to see and recognize 
some of his dead neighbors and at the same time he 
would order those in his company who could see 
nothing wrong to step aside and let the dead pass. 

The least objectionable fables are the mermaids and 
their enchanted capes and the enchanted music of the 
dead, how St. Patrick tricked the snakes and serpents, 
the appearance of strange and mysterious ships at 
sea leading sailors and fishermen to their doom, 
the Broack-an-rubber, Feon Macoal, Diamond and 
Grana, chieftains clad in white armor riding on 
horses shod with gold shoes galloping through the 
country every May morning and serpents in lake. 

Pagan wells, too, were deemed sacred because old 
Druids washed and dressed the wounds of soldiers and 
persons injured in them. 

Patron Days. — These are held where Christian 
churches were erected, consecrated and dedicated to 
that particular saint whose festival falls on or about 
the day on which the patron is held. It was so very 
hard to overthrow pagan celebrations, which continued 

*It Is strange that the whole of the great Northwestern States of 
America, by the vote of the people, made their States completely dry, 
and that without compeiiBation to the saloonkeeper, yet our people, amongst 
whom it has such a ruinous effect, cannot hold a Christian patron day ■ 
without traffic in intoxicating liquors. In the United States a minor 
dare not enter a saloon, and a saloonkeeper is debarred from entering 
almost all lodges — even many Christian churches have refused to accept 
their money; yet in our parts a publican will be elected a district and 
county councillor before most other persons in the neighborhood. 

96 



AND CURIOUS CUSTOMS 



for a long time after the dawn of Christianity in Ire- 
land, the clergy, and wise Christians, too, admonished 
the people to abandon the custom of attending pagan 
meetings in mountains and other like places and 
started sports on patron days close to their churches, 
and in this manner completely exterminated the adora- 
tion of idols. 

In the middle of the last century, excessive drinking 
and an occasional street fight tended to degrade them. 
Long ago they served their purpose and at present no 
objection could be held against them if they were held 
completely dry.* 

Penitent Pilgrims of the Cat-Brack. — Catholics at- 
tending Protestant Bible classes, reading their litera- 
ture or listening to a funeral service during the fearful 
religious quarrels of what is known as the "Souper 
campaign," as a part of their penance had to go from 
Dingle to Killarney, a distance of over forty miles. 
Some very old men did the journey on foot. Amongst 
the reasons for taking exception to a funeral service 
was that Protestant writers, in boasting of the success 
of their mission, classed Roman Catholics standing 
around the coffin while the funeral service was read 
at the graveside as "converts" to Protestantism. The 
result was that Catholics attending the funeral of a 
Protestant neighbor or relative would accompany the 
corpse no further than the gate to the graveyard or 
burial ground or keep a reasonable distance away until 
the religious services were ended. 

Racing at Weddings.. — The custom of men riding 
saddle horses, racing with each other to see who would 
be the first to reach the newly married girl to bring 

97 



TRADITIONS OF IRELAND 



her home to the wedding, is now almost dead and 
gone, but the spirit survives. 

Red Lighted Coals of Pire Given Out of the House. 
Old women in country villages prevented fire to be 
given out of their houses, and insisted on all men 
smoking extinguishing all the fire in their pipes before 
leaving the house was, I believe, the most ignorant 
superstition I ever saw practiced. A farmer's wife 
feared that if you should carry a lighted pipe from 
their house into another, it would enable the person 
carrying same to transfer milk and butter from one 
farmer to another, and he could do many other things. 

Rounds. — ^Paying rounds around holy wells and 
shrines are very much on the decline. 

Shea-Hated by the Mermaids of the Sea. — It is 
almost impossible for persons bearing the name of 
Shea or O'Shea to obtain partners to join them fishing 
in any harbor in the barony, due to the fact that people 
are afraid that if they had an O'Shea or Shea in their 
boats or canoes they would be drowned. For this 
belief a thousand reasons are sometimes given. How- 
ever, after setting aside tales appertaining to mer- 
maids, spirits of the deep, legends and superstitions, 
the striking fact remains that of the names of persons 
drowned in this peninsula within the last century the 
surname of Shea or O'Shea outstrip all others, and 
this is the more remarkable when taken into consid- 
eration that through fear in storms very few of them 
will take the risks of their fellow fishermen. Possibly 
when caught in sea trouble the want of confidence 
arising from superstition may have something to do 
with it. 

98 



AND CURIOUS CUSTOMS 



Snap Apple Nights, or All Hallow Bve. — This night 
falls on the 31st of October. Up until near the end 
of the last century, it was a night of sport by young 
people in those parts by trying to extract fun and 
prophecy from fruit and beans. Amongst other things, 
they place beans together in pairs in the ashes close 
to the heat of the fire for the supposed lovers, one 
named for the boy and the other for the girl. If the 
beans burn brightly and quietly together, it indicated 
that the young man and the young girl so indicated 
would be married, but if they cracked and jumped 
apart from each other they would never be married. 
From the ashes many a strange tale would be foretold. 
After one pair jumped apart, another pair of beans 
would be tried and some other likely lovers named 
for each. 

Young persons also would dip for apples in tubs 
of v/ater and endeavor to bring one up in the mouth 
by pressing it against the bottom of the tub. Some- 
times an apple would hang from a cord and they would 
try to catch it with their mouths while in circular 
motion. In catching apples, hands should not be used. 

I knew of one girl who privately melted lead several 
times and each time threw it into water, in hopes that 
she could foresee her future husband to be a plough- 
man possessing horses, cattle and ploughs. I know 
that she got married to a farmer, not because the lead 
and water conveyed anything of the kind, but her heart 
and mind was set on having a farmer as her husband. 

This is a superstitious practice handed down to 
us from the Druids. Formerly these things were a 
ceremony of belief, but with few execeptions in our 
parts this superstitious belief has disappeared and noiv 

99 



TRADITIONS OF IRELAND 



they have become things of pure sport. Other nation- 
alities in Europe are still found quite superstitious 
about All Hallow Eve. 

Steel-Pen Coats. — These steel-pen frize woolen 
coats and knee-breeches ornamented with brass buttons 
and commonly worn up toward the last quarter of the 
last century are now nearly extinct in those parts. 

St. Martin's Bve. — It appears that St. Martin was 
buried on the 11th of November. In some country 
homes amongst farmers I noticed that on St. Martin's 
Eve some animal was killed, such as a goose, a duck, 
a hen or a cock, and that the outside threshold of the 
door was sprinkled with the blood of the animal killed 
for St Martin. Some went as far as to sprinkle the 
four corners of their dwelling houses with blood. I 
believe this had a Christian charitable origin and in the 
course of age lost its true meaning and character. 
Whether Christian or pagan, it is a very curious 
custom, and I see no good in it for the present age. 

St. Patrick and the Snakes. — Are there any snakes 
to be found in Ireland ? Did St. Patrick banish them ? 
These are questions which Americans ask me daily. 
My answer to the first question is that I never saw 
nor heard of any snake living in Ireland since the days 
of St. Patrick. Ireland does not produce any venomous 
reptile. The following are not to be found there, viz., 
snakes, tortoises, scorpions or dragons. Leeches, 
lizards and frogs are numerous, but these are harm- 
less. I am told that snakes brought over to Ireland 
will die or lose their venom before they land. Sailors 
who say they have tried it tell me that as they were 
drawing near the land the snakes died. Circuses will 
not attempt to cross the Irish Sea from England with 

100 



AND CURIOUS CUSTOMS 



their snakes for fear of losing them. People living in 
Ireland never saw a snake. The reasons given by some 
naturalists for snakes not living in Ireland are not 
identical. 

Now, with regard to St. Patrick banishing the 
snakes and all other poisonous reptiles out of Ireland, 
both tradition and legend says he did it but it is not 
supported by historical documents. According to an- 
cient writings, snakes were found in Ireland before 
the Christian era. There is full and clear evidence 
that some of the people adored idols made into the 
imitation of snakes, and also dead snakes, and that 
these were collected and delivered up by newly con- 
verted Christians to St. Patrick and with their full 
accord the idols were destroyed by him and thrown 
into a lake. Beyond that I cannot go, and I regret to 
say here I must leave the reader to draw his own 
conclusions. 

The very early Catholic Church historians in Ireland 
did not mention a word about St. Patrick's connection 
with the snakes. St. Patrick left behind him a written 
document called his "Confession," and in this there 
is no mention of the snakes. However, many years 
after his death — some centuries. — Irish historians stated 
clearly that it was St. Patrick who banished the 
snakes. English historians up to the Twelfth and 
Thirteenth centuries agreed with the Irish historians 
of that period, and, for the reason that snakes would 
live in the Isle of Man, they (the EngHsh) classified 
that island as more properly belonging to England. 

If St. Patrick had nothing to do with the live 
snakes — and I suppose he had not — there must be 
something very strange in the air or soil of Ireland. 

101 



TRADITIONS OF IRELAND 



It is more remarkable still when we consider that if 
snakes which live in the British Isles will die on their 
arrival in Ireland, and many of them, it is said, before 
they ever touch the Irish soil, and that science so far 
has not discovered any means to overcome it. It is 
also said that if pure Irish earth was scattered in a 
garden snakes would become scarce. 

St. Stephen's Day. — As everybody knows, this day 
falls on the 26th of December. A peculiar custom 
connected with this day still lingers in those parts. 
Men dressed in straw or like women, wearing masks 
with face blackened, carrying flags, a bush with a wren 
fastened to it, and having a fife and drum band play- 
ing about them, parade the streets. They dance and 
make merriment and are always followed by a big 
crowd. One of the company carries a white hobby- 
horse, which is an imitation of a horse made of wood 
and covered with white calico. Under the hobby-horse 
the party are supposed to have one of their best 
dancers. The under jaw of the hobbyhorse is to work 
with a string so that it cracks in time with his step 
and also the steps of all the dancers. This part of the 
program is not easily done and therefore is often 
neglected. After dancing a little, they change the 
performance and the hobbyhorse, carrying a ladle in 
its mouth, is sent around to collect contributions while 
a purser enters the horse beating every person with 
bladders tied onto the end of a stick. 

It appears these sports originated at the Feast of 
Fools in the Christian churches and monasteries of 
other countries from whom we borrowed them. St. 
Stephen's Day was specially set aside for deacons and 
other orders of the clergy who were not able to enjoy 

102 



AND CURIOUS CUSTOMS 



Christmas owing to the extra religious labors cast upon 
them. 

Coupled with this came the mistletoe, and, to act in 
the plays, laymen, too, were admitted. Whenever it 
was necessary to raise funds for the repair of some 
church dances were performed in the churchyard on 
Sundays. The surplus of the funds, after paying for 
the repair of the church, went to the support of the 
poor. In the course of ages abuses set in and now the 
performers have the proceeds themselves. 

Sunburst of Brin. — In pagan days most of the Irish 
people looked towards the east for the rising sun and 
adored it. The most ancient flag of our country 
known was, I believe, a sky-blue field with a sunburst. 
In a field belonging to Mr. P. Lynch is a large stone 
bearing an ancient sunburst emblem upon it. (For 
Ogham's inscribed stones, see History County Kerry.) 

Toothache Cure. — The cure given by some old wo- 
men for toothache was to have the sufferer in person 
enter a churchyard burial ground, find a dead man's 
finger or coffin nail and place it in his mouth, pressing 
the tooth several times into it. This practice was long 
ago abandoned. 

Witches {Witch Hare). — When I was a little boy I 
found a few old women possessed of a horrid super- 
stitious belief to the effect that an old witch (a wo- 
man) could change herself into a hare, and as such 
would go about lises, forts and like haunted places 
and therefrom enter fields and milk cows dry.* 

*0n one occasion on a very fine summer's morning in a lis about a 
mile away from the village, I happened to see a hare eating grass, and 
I tried to chase it, but as the hare was too swift for me and I had 
nothing better than pebbles to throw at it, of course it escaped at ease. 
In great haste I returned to the village and took with me a young 
shepherd dog which belonged to one of the neighbors and which 
was in the habit of following me. However, when 1 reached the lis 

103 



TRADITIONS OF IRELAND 



there was no trace of my hare to be found and I felt very disappointed, 
especially when the dog would not go and find him for me. I came 
home and there I asked them to assist me to hunt for the hare, but they 
only laughed at me and told me that long ago the hare was gone to the 
mountain, and to catch a hare I should have a greyhouad instead of a 
shepherd puppy. After nightfall I wandered into one of the neighbor's 
houses and joined other boys who were listening to some fairy tales. 
Here I was cross-examined as to the cause of my excitement and had to 
account for the nature of the mischief I was engaged in that I wanted 
the dog so early in the morning. I told them about my experience with 
the hare in the lis, but, while the whole house enjoyed my hunt, there 
was one in the company who took a more serious view of it. I was told 
that in all probability it was no hare but a witch, and if I escaped from 
injury I ought to consider myself lucky. 

Next a hot argument arose between two as to the location of a lis 
where it was alleged an old witch changed herself into a hare and while 
running from the hounds towards an old cabin, just in the act of leaping 
through a very narrow window opening into the cabin, she was bitten 
and disappeared. The cabin was surrounded by the hounds and hunters 
and two went in to hunt her out, and although they searched every 
corner of the cabin, from the thatch to the floor, all they could find in 
the house was an old woman sitting on a mat of straw. Believing that 
this old woman must have killed the hare, they compelled her to stand 
up and found a lot of blood. The farmer called upon the witch and 
warned her never again to milk his cows or her life would be ended. 

In England, thirty thousand persons were hanged for being witches 
and the Puritan fathers of New England, amongst many other wicked 
deeds of theirs connected with witchcraft, executed a woman for being 
a fox. I fail to understand how any people guilty of shedding so much 
innocent blood, which our Pilgrim fathers used as divine perfume in 
witchcraft, cases of which Boston and Salem furnish such an example, 
could be found to possess a pure religion. 



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